Windows 8 editions

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Windows 8, a major release of the Microsoft Windows operating system, was available in four different editions: Windows 8 (Core), Pro, Enterprise, and RT. Only Windows 8 (Core) and Pro were widely available at retailers. [1] The other editions focus on other markets, such as embedded systems or enterprise. All editions support 32-bit IA-32 CPUs and x64 CPUs.

Contents

Editions

Windows 8
Windows 8 (also sometimes referred to as Windows 8 (Core) to distinguish from the OS itself) [2] is the basic edition of Windows for the IA-32 and x64 architectures. This edition contains features aimed at the home market segment and provides all of the basic new Windows 8 features.
Windows 8 Pro
Windows 8 Pro is comparable to Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate [3] [4] and is targeted towards enthusiasts and business users; it includes all the features of Windows 8. Additional features include the ability to receive Remote Desktop connections, 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 is available only for Windows 8 Pro as a separate software package. [5]
Windows 8 Enterprise
Windows 8 Enterprise provides all the features in Windows 8 Pro (except the ability to install the Windows Media Center add-on), with additional features to assist with IT organization (see table below). [3] This edition is available to Software Assurance customers, as well as MSDN and Technet Professional subscribers, and was released on 16 August 2012. [6]
Windows RT
Windows RT is only available pre-installed on ARM-based devices such as tablet PCs. [7] It includes touch-optimized desktop versions of the basic set of Office 2013 applications to users—Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote, and supports device encryption capabilities. Several business-focused features such as Group Policy and domain support are not included.
Software for Windows RT can be either downloaded from Windows Store or sideloaded, although sideloading on Windows RT must first be enabled by purchasing additional licenses through Microsoft volume licensing outlet. [8] [9] Desktop software that run on previous versions of Windows cannot be run on Windows RT [10] as Windows Store apps are based on Windows Runtime API which differs from the traditional apps. [8] According to CNET, these essential differences may raise the question of whether Windows RT is an edition of Windows: in a conversation with Mozilla, Microsoft deputy general counsel David Heiner was reported to have said Windows RT "isn't Windows anymore." Mozilla general counsel, however, dismissed the assertion on the basis that Windows RT has the same user interface, application programming interface and update mechanism. [11]

Unlike Windows Vista and Windows 7, there are no Home Basic, Home Premium, or Ultimate editions. [12]

Regional restrictions and variations

All mentioned editions have the ability to use language packs, enabling multiple user interface languages. [4] (This functionality was previously available in Ultimate or Enterprise edition of Windows 7 and Windows Vista.) However, in China and other emerging markets,[ citation needed ] a variation of Windows 8 without this capability, called Windows 8 Single Language, is sold. This edition can be upgraded to Windows 8 Pro. [13] Furthermore, like in Windows Phone 7 and Windows Phone 8 (since the latter shares the same Windows NT kernel as its desktop variant), OEMs who preload Windows 8 can choose not to support certain display languages either out of the box or make them available for download. These exact choices depend on the device manufacturer and country/region of purchase (as well as the wireless carrier for cellular-connected devices). For example, a cellular-connected Samsung ATIV Smart PC running Windows 8 on AT&T only supports English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Korean (the last three are available as optional downloads).

Additional Windows 8 editions specially destined for European markets have the letter "N" (e.g. Windows 8.1 Enterprise N) suffixed to their names and do not include a bundled copy of Windows Media Player. Microsoft was required to create the "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.

Windows 8.1 with Bing is a reduced-cost SKU of Windows 8.1 for OEMs that was introduced in May 2014. It was introduced as part of an effort to encourage the production of low-cost devices, whilst "driving end-user usage of Microsoft Services such as Bing and OneDrive". It is subsidized by Microsoft's Bing search engine, which is set as the default within Internet Explorer, and cannot be changed to a third-party alternative by the OEM. This restriction does not apply to end-users, who can still change the default search engine freely after installation. It is otherwise identical to the base edition. [14] [15] [16]

Editions for embedded systems

Windows Embedded 8 Standard
Windows Embedded 8 Standard is a componentized edition of Windows 8 for use in specialized devices. It was released on 20 March 2013. [17] [18] Notable for being the only edition of Windows 8 to not get an update to 8.1. It reached the end of mainstream support on July 10, 2018, and reached the end of extended support on July 11, 2023. [19]
Windows Embedded 8 Industry
Windows Embedded 8 Industry is an edition of Windows 8 for use in industrial devices. It was released on 2 April 2013 and is available in Pro, Pro Retail, and Enterprise editions. [20]
Windows Embedded 8 [For Embedded Systems (FES)]
Includes Windows Embedded 8 Pro and Windows Embedded 8 Enterprise editions, which are binary identical to their respective non-embedded editions, differing only in licensing. [21]

These are the final editions of Windows (excluding Server) to use the "Windows Embedded" branding. Starting with the release of Windows 10, Microsoft switched to the use of "Windows IoT" branding.

Upgrade compatibility

The following in-place upgrade paths are supported from Windows 7. [3] It is only possible to upgrade from an IA-32 variant of Windows 7 to an IA-32 variant of Windows 8; an x64 variant of Windows 7 can only be upgraded to an x64 variant of Windows 8. The retail package entitled Windows 8 Pro Upgrade was restricted to upgrading a computer with licensed Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista or Windows 7. Finally, there is no upgrade path for Windows RT. [22]

Windows 8 upgrade path [23]
Edition of
Windows 7
to upgrade
from
Edition of Windows 8
to upgrade to
CoreProEnterprise
StarterYesYesNo
Home BasicYesYesNo
Home PremiumYesYesNo
UltimateNoYesNo
ProfessionalNoYesYes
EnterpriseNoNoYes

In-upgrade is not available for Windows Vista and Windows XP. However, on Windows XP SP3 and Windows Vista RTM, it is possible to perform a clean install while preserving personal files. On Windows Vista SP1, it is possible to perform a clean install but save system settings as well. While Microsoft still refers to the scenarios as "upgrade", the user still need to reinstall all apps, carry out necessary license activation steps and reinstate app settings. [24]

Comparison chart

Comparison of Windows 8/8.1 editions [3] [9]
FeaturesRTCoreProEnterprise
Availability [25] Pre-installed on devices [7] Most channelsMost channels Volume License customers Most channels
Architecture ARM (32-bit) IA-32 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) IA-32 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) IA-32 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit)
Maximum physical memory (RAM) [26] 4 GB [27] 128 GB on x64
4 GB on IA-32
512 GB on x64
4 GB on IA-32
512 GB on x64
4 GB on IA-32
Secure boot YesYesYesYes
Picture password YesYesYesYes
Start screen, Semantic Zoom, Live TilesYesYesYesYes
Touch and Thumb keyboardYesYesYesYes
Language packsDepends on OEM, region, and carrierDepends on OEM, region, and carrierDepends on OEM, region, and carrierYes
Updated File Explorer YesYesYesYes
Standard apps [lower-alpha 1] YesYesYesYes
File History YesYesYesYes
Refresh and reset of OSYesYesYesYes
Play ToYesYesYesYes
Connected Standby YesYesYesYes
Windows Update YesYesYesYes
Windows Defender YesYesYesYes
Better multi-monitor supportYesYesYesYes
New Windows Task Manager YesYesYesYes
ISO image and VHD mountingYesYesYesYes
Mobile broadband featuresYesYesYesYes
Microsoft account integrationYesYesYesYes
Internet Explorer 10 YesYesYesYes
SmartScreen YesYesYesYes
Windows Store Non-downloadable as of EOL dateNon-downloadable as of EOL dateNon-downloadable as of EOL dateNon-downloadable as of EOL date
Xbox Live (including Xbox Live Arcade) [28] [29] PartialPartialPartialPartial
Exchange ActiveSync YesYesYesYes
SnapYesYesYesYes
Can connect to a VPN?NoNoNoNo
Desktop YesYesYesYes
Support for language packs and switchingDepends on OEM, region, and carrierDepends on OEM, region, and carrierDepends on OEM, region, and carrierYes
Device encryption [lower-alpha 2] [31] YesWith Windows 8.1 With Windows 8.1 With Windows 8.1
Supported third-party apps [3] [32] Windows Store apps onlyWindows Store and desktopWindows Store and desktopWindows Store and desktop
Remote Desktop Client onlyClient onlyClient and hostClient and host
Storage spaces NoYesYesYes
Windows Media Player NoYesYesYes
BitLocker and EFS NoNoYesYes
Sideload Windows Store apps [8] [9] Partial [lower-alpha 3] NoPartial [lower-alpha 3] Partial [lower-alpha 3]
Boot from VHDNoNoYesYes
Can join a Windows domain?Disabled by defaultNoYesYes
Group Policy YesNoYesYes
Parental Controls UnknownYesYesYes
Hyper-V [33] NoNo 64-bit SKUs only 64-bit SKUs only
AppLocker [lower-alpha 4] NoNoNoYes
Windows To Go NoNoNoYes
DirectAccess NoNoNoYes
BranchCache [lower-alpha 5] NoNoNoYes
Can be virtualized by RemoteFX?NoNoNoYes
Services for Network File System [36] NoNoNoYes
Subsystem for Unix-based Applications NoNoNoDeprecated [37]
Windows Media Center NoNo (yes with upgrade to W8 Pro) [lower-alpha 6] [5] Optional [5] No
Microsoft Office apps bundled with OSYes [lower-alpha 7] NoNoNo
FeaturesWindows RTWindows 8 (Core)Windows 8 ProWindows 8 Enterprise

Notes

  1. Includes Mail, Calendar, People, Messaging, Photos, Reader, Music, Video, Bing, Weather, Sports, News, Finance, Camera, Travel, Maps 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. [30]
  3. 1 2 3 Not all computers running Windows 8 can perform sideloading. Out-of-box sideloading support is only available for Windows 8 Enterprise computers that have joined a Windows domain. Sideloading on Windows RT and Windows 8 Pro computers as well as Windows 8 Enterprise computers without a domain affiliation requires purchase of additional licenses through Microsoft volume licensing outlet. [lower-alpha 8]
  4. AppLocker enforces application whitelisting or blacklisting in a corporate environment. In other words, it can be used to allow or prevent execution of software based on name, version number or publisher. [34]
  5. BranchCache, a feature of Windows 7 and later, locally caches contents received from a file server or web server to enable faster subsequent uses. [35]
  6. In this case, installing the add-in would also require upgrading Windows 8 to Windows 8 Pro. [5]
  7. Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote RT. Windows RT 8.1 adds Outlook.
  8. "How to Add and Remove Apps". TechNet . Microsoft. 31 May 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012. To enable sideloading on a Windows 8 Enterprise computer that is not domain-joined or on any Windows® 8 Pro computer, you must use a sideloading product activation key. To enable sideloading on a Windows® RT device, you must use a sideloading product activation key. For more information about sideloading product activation keys, see Microsoft Volume Licensing.

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