There are two versions of Windows 11. Here’s how to choose between the two

If you’re ready to take the plunge and purchase an upgraded version of Windows, your biggest question may be, “which one?” Both Windows 11 Pro and Windows 11 Home are powerful operating systems with robust feature sets at affordable prices.

To help you make an informed decision, we compare the features and explain the differences in security, power and price.

Windows 11 Pro or Windows 11 Home?

Microsoft is trying to convey the intent of the Windows 11 releases in the naming of the systems.

Windows 11 Pro is intended for more active (Pro) users, including businesses, enterprises, and teams who need additional security and management features.

Windows 11 Home Page is intended for average (home) users, students and people who mainly use e-mail, play games, surf the Internet and use daily applications.

But as we all know, when choosing between two options, it is not always the name that makes our decision for us. When it comes to an operating system, it starts with features, moves on to security and power, and ends with cost.

Function comparison

For a good overview, especially if you're interested in a specific tool, here's a feature comparison of Windows 11 Pro vs Windows 11 Pro. Windows 11 Home in alphabetical order.

Business-oriented functions

You'll notice that many of the above features are part of Windows 11 Pro and not Windows 11 Home is more focused on businesses. While there may be a few you'd like to see on Windows 11 At home they are useful for the Pro version.

Take Windows Information Protection (formerly Enterprise Data Protection), for example. This feature protects business apps and data from accidental leaks on both corporate-owned and personal devices that employees use and bring to the office.

Additionally, features such as Windows Sandbox, a controlled environment for running untrusted applications, and Windows Autopilot, which helps IT departments set up and configure devices, are features that most computer users don't need.

When choosing between these two Windows versions, consider these business features.

Security Tools

Both Windows 11 Pro and Windows 11 Home has some of the same security features, including device encryption, firewall, network and internet protections, Windows Defender, multi-factor authentication, and Find My Device.

For added security, Windows 11 Pro offers the aforementioned features like Windows Information Protection and Windows Sandbox, but also offers BitLocker Drive Encryption. This bonus tool allows you to lock a device if it is lost or stolen. While this seems like a feature that anyone could use these days, it is more intended for businesses to protect corporate data if a device goes missing.

The bottom line is that both versions of Windows have built-in security features to keep you and your data safe. Windows 11 Pro goes beyond the basics to protect businesses in additional ways and for different reasons.

CPU and RAM support

Another consideration when making your decision is the CPU and RAM support offered by Windows 11 Pro and Windows 11 At home.

• Windows 11 Pro supports 2TB of RAM, up to two CPUs, and up to 128 CPU cores.
• Windows 11 Home supports 128 GB of RAM, up to one CPU, and up to 64 CPU cores.

While there's nothing wrong with 128GB of RAM, Windows 11 Pro supports 2TB, so it makes things like creating virtual machines and allocating lots of RAM to each.

On the CPU side, dual-CPU systems like Windows 11 Pro can dramatically improve performance. It increases port count, shares memory resources, and can distribute workloads. But for the average user, a single-CPU machine can handle everyday tasks, applications, and games just fine.

As for CPU cores, the more cores a CPU has, the more efficient it is at processing tasks. With support for 128 CPU cores, Windows 11 Pro is a multitasking powerhouse. However, typical computer users can do just about everything they need to do, from checking email to surfing the web, with just two or four CPU cores.

Price difference

With the extra features, RAM and CPU support, and other system specs, you can of course expect to pay more for Windows 11 Pro. Currently, you can buy Windows 11 Pro for $199 and Windows 11 Home for $139.

If you only purchase Windows 11 Home for now, you will have the option to upgrade to Windows 11 Pro later. However, it will cost you $99 for the upgrade.

If you can afford the extra $60, it's certainly more cost-effective in the end to get the features you need in Windows 11 Pro.

Which Windows 11 version should you choose?

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, Windows 11 Pro is more aimed at business users, while Windows 11 Home is for the average person. But there are exceptions to every “rule.”

Just because you're a small business owner doesn't mean you need the advanced security features in Windows 11 Pro. On the other hand, you might be a power user outside of your day job and need more robust features than Windows 11 Offers for home.

Consider the features relative to your needs. Consider the amount of security you need. Consider the upfront and upgrade costs.

Whichever one you decide to buy - Windows 11 Pro or Windows 11 Home — you still get a solid and reliable operating system.