Windows 10 S vs Windows 10 Home or Pro: What’s the basic difference

Windows 10 S vs Windows 10 Home vs Windows 10 Pro

The launch of the new Windows 10 S iteration has sure made the Windows 10 line up a bit more complex. Prior to that, users just had to choose between Windows 10 Home and the Windows 10 Pro.

And taking your pick from either used to be simple – if you are a home user, go for the Home version. Or the Pro if you are a professional and are into doing heavy-duty tasks.

So what about Windows 10 S? Microsoft says it’s primarily aimed at students and academicians. Fine, but how does it differ from the other versions of the OS? Read on to clear all such doubts.

Windows 10 S

For the uninitiated, Windows 10 S is meant for the students who are about to leave school and join college. Its basic working principle is the same as Google’s Chrome OS. And Chrome OS-powered Chromebooks have been extremely popular with students. So much so, that Microsoft decided to launch a direct rival in the form of the Surface Laptop, with other cheaper alternatives to follow suit.

Windows 10 S, while still being a Windows at the core is still different from the other iterations in the way it functions. For it can only run those apps that are present in the Windows Store. Any attempt to install other external software would run into a wall and will be firmly rejected. You will instead be offered alternatives already present in the Windows Store.

Microsoft is also claiming there are immense benefits to erect a secure wall around Windows 10 S. The apps are made to run in a restricted environment with access to other parts of the OS down to a minimum. That again, improves the overall security, as chances of malware playing havoc in your system get immensely reduced.

Another way the Windows 10 S differs from its counterparts is that active programs are not allowed to spawn out a large number of processes. This ensures the system resources aren’t bogged down unnecessarily while catering to a single program. Microsoft says Windows 10 S device would have the same high levels of performance attributes several years down the line as you had on day one.

Microsoft, though, has a backdoor in the fortress that it claims the Windows 10 S is akin to. This, since you can always upgrade to Windows 10 Pro, but for a price. That stands at $49 but will be free through Dec. 31, 2017. Also, it is a one-way journey. After you have upgraded to Pro, there’s no way you can be back into the realms of Windows 10 S ever again.

Windows 10 Pro

It clearly is the most advanced version of the OS, offering the most features and services. Those include BitLocker that allows for advanced encryption features for heightened data security to Windows Update for Business that lets you postpone an update to a more desired time and date.

In fact, most of the Pro features are relevant if you are an advanced user, or are from the enterprise segment. It also is the heaviest and most processor intensive of the three versions. That means you need to have the right machine to make the most of the Pro version. No wonder, its only large institutions, research centers and such that reach out for the Pro version.

Windows 10 Home

This happens to be the most general purpose version of the OS. It gets the job done and can run efficiently on even entry-level hardware while still offering decent levels of performance.

Windows 10 Home can also be considered to be the best of all worlds. Be it security, performance, reliability, you have it all in decent measures. This is the version to go for when all you need to do is surf the web, listen to songs, watch movies or play a few games. In short, The Home version of the OS can be considered the domesticated version of its professional counterpart, sans the many high-end features of the latter that you will every hardly need.

About the author

Sovan Mandal

A keen tech enthusiast who loves to keep a tab on the tech scene, with special emphasis on things like smartphones, tablets, laptops, convertibles and such. Cars happen to be his other passion, not to mention the recent trend here comprising of electric cars and autonomous cars. Off late, he has also started tinkering a bit with stuff like electronic circuits, electric motors a bit though he's just a novice there.

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