Windows 10, Microsoft's operating system and successor to Windows 8.1, comes in two versions: Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Home. This is a stark contrast to previous versions of the system, which came in as many as seven editions. Of the two editions, Windows 10 Pro, as you might assume, has the most features.
Unlike Windows 7 and 8.1, where the basic variant was markedly less feature-rich than its professional counterpart, Windows 10 Home comes with a great set of new features, which should satisfy most users' needs. And because of this, many users are in doubt between opting for Windows 10 Pro or Windows 10 Home.
Windows 10 Home Advantages
Windows 10 Home is the most basic variant of Windows 10. It comes with a number of new features, including a revamped Start menu. You'll also get a full version of Cortana, the digital voice assistant, previously available exclusively on Windows Phone. In addition, the home edition also offers features such as Power Saver, Trusted Platform Module (TPM) support, and the company's new biometric security feature called Windows Hello.
Battery Saver, for those unfamiliar, is a feature that makes your system more energy efficient. This is done by limiting background activity on the device. The TPM is a microchip that provides additional security-related functions. Many motherboard manufacturers install the TPM chip in their devices. Microsoft guarantees that if your motherboard has this chip, Windows 10 Home will provide support for it.
Home users will also be able to use the new Virtual Desktops option and the Multitasking feature, with up to 4 applications on the same screen. On top of that, they can also give a whirl to Continuum, a core feature of Windows 10 that lets you quickly switch from desktop mode to tablet mode. You also get Microsoft Edge, the operating system's browser, much faster and more stable than its predecessor Internet Explorer.
The home edition also supports Windows Update - qualified to prevent automatic updates from Microsoft - and also provides security measures such as Microsoft Passport. The above mentioned features demonstrate that Microsoft is providing all the essential features in its most basic variant.
However, if you want more sophisticated protection, or if your work requires features like support for sideloading business apps, then the home edition may leave a lot to be desired, and you should opt for the Pro edition.
Windows 10 Pro Advantages
Windows 10 Pro edition, in addition to all the aforementioned Home edition features, offers sophisticated connectivity and privacy tools like Assigned Access, Dynamic Provisioning, Domain Join, Internet Explorer Enterprise Mode (EMIE), Group Policy Management , Bitlocker, Remote Desktop and Hyper-V.
Assigned access, for example, allows you to block user accounts and prevent them from accessing specific applications. BitLocker, on the other hand, is one of the most powerful disk encryption tools for Windows. It allows you to encrypt your external USB drives. You also get tools that facilitate seamless connectivity when joining Azure Active Directory and Windows Store for Business. So, should you get the Pro edition?
It all comes down to the features you need, like Hyper-V, which is a virtualization solution built into Windows. Does your job require you to connect to a Windows domain? If yes, you should buy the Pro edition.
Windows Enterprise e Windows Student
While Windows 10 Home and Pro are direct paths for retail users, there are other Windows 10 variants such as Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Student. The Enterprise edition, as you might expect, is intended to meet the demands of medium and large organizations. It comes with even more sophisticated features like Device Guard, which allows a company to lock down devices. Unlike the other two editions of Windows 10, however, the Enterprise variant will not be available for sale in retail stores. Instead, it is sold through volume licensing.
The Windows 10 Education edition is designed for schools - students, faculty, staff, and administrators. The edition comes with most of the features of the Enterprise edition. It is also not available for sale in retail stores, and is distributed through academic volume licensing.
Speaking of other editions of Windows 10, we also have Windows 10 Mobile and Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise. As their names suggest, both are designed to power smartphones. Microsoft also released Windows 10 Core, an operating system for Internet of Things devices.
If you are upgrading your operating system, you can also consider Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Home Premium or Windows 8.1, and you will get a free upgrade to Windows 10 Home. Existing legitimate Windows 7 Pro, Windows 7 Ultimate or Windows 8.1 Pro users will receive a free upgrade to Windows 10 Pro.
Price
If you are a new user, Windows 10 Home will set you back at R$559,99 while Windows 10 Pro will cost R$809,99.
Windows 10 Home or Pro: Which is better?
Windows 10 Home will be enough for the vast majority of users, who just want to browse the web, work and manage their media files.
The benefits of the Pro version focus on security and compatibility, but of course the value of these features will depend on whether you actually need to use them or not, and most home users don't.
