Windows 7 Professional vs. Home Premium

[PetiePal]

So I've done some research and kept up with all the info pouring out over the past few months and I'm trying to decide which version of Windows 7 to buy. Here are a few questions you smarties can probably answer with ease!:

1. I'm looking at getting the Full not upgrade copy of either version I end up choosing. Now upgrade copies only let you upgrade from a previous XP/Vista installation. Does the Full edition let you upgrade as well if you choose to do so instead of a clean wipe and install?

2. Home Premium vs. Professional - I know in Professional you get domain features, encryption, remote desktop. (I may really want Remote Desktop to be able to log into my machine at home from work or on the road etc, so annoying it's not included standard anymore since Vista) However are there any features that are "omitted" from Professional in this higher version? What might they be?

3. Anyone got a quick linking or remember the pricing for full editions?

4. How many licenses per copy do you get, 3?

5. What editions are YOU getting and why?

Thanks in advance!

 

[MrAleX]

I'm not very smart, but I will go for Ultimate, the answer is simple: I've tried all Vista editions and Ultimate was ON THE TOP with the PERFORMANCE. I think same with Win 7. I don't need some of the features, but the Vista experience..

 

[PetiePal]

Something I wish they would have incorporated was the ability to unselect certain components you didn't want in the Ultimate edition. Like I could care less about Bitlocker on a home machine. When you're paying THAT much for an edition it should be pretty customizable.

Honestly a Home, Professional and Ultimate trio would have been the smartest way to sell and brand 7. Maybe allow you to select and choose what features you wanted past Professional and charge piece by piece for it.

 

[DJG]

Upgrade versions only allow in-place upgrade exactly like a full retail copy would. You can only do an in-place upgrade of Vista, not XP, for like-Editions or lower-to-higher, and both must be same x86/x64 architecture - you cannot in-place upgrade x86 to x64 (this also applies to the Windows Easy Transfer function).

You can do a clean install with either upgrade or retail disc, but how the upgrade version will handle the previous licensing verification is still under speculation, whether you need an activated XP or Vista partition on disk, or just have the original installation disc, or enter the original key, nobody knows for sure.

Edit: There is only one license per copy. And you can customize in the Control Panel / Programs and Features - there's a link on the left "Turn Windows features on or off".

 

[sonyman]

I'm not very smart, but I will go for Ultimate, the answer is simple: I've tried all Vista editions and Ultimate was ON THE TOP with the PERFORMANCE. I think same with Win 7. I don't need some of the features, but the Vista experience..

Well apparently you're not, because the performance is the same for all the versions. If you don't need the features why on earth would you pay for them?

 

[swarfega]

as sonyman stated performance will be the same irispective of SKU.

 

[knuckles84]

in my opinion, it is simple, if you do not know if you need the features, buy the home premium, if you miss something after, do an anytime upgrade. IF THAT IS TO COMPLICATED FOR YOU, I'm sure you have not the skill's to use the features from the higther versions.

 

[PetiePal]

My initial question was if there's any features in Home Premium that are removed in a greater version. This was done in the past with Vista.

RDP is pretty important to me I'd love to be able to check on my comp from the road or work. Someone mentioned disabling or uninstalling other features from add/remove system components. Does that include things like Bitlocker, etc?

 

[SIW2]

My initial question was if there's any features in Home Premium that are removed in a greater version.

No.

 

[MrAleX]

My initial question was if there's any features in Home Premium that are removed in a greater version. This was done in the past with Vista.

RDP is pretty important to me I'd love to be able to check on my comp from the road or work. Someone mentioned disabling or uninstalling other features from add/remove system components. Does that include things like Bitlocker, etc?

hey friends just use Ultimate not this stripped crap what they call even Premium or Pro..

 

[swarfega]

You pay the price for going ultimate and the majority of new users wont need it.

 

[harpua]

Yeah, just waste my money on features I will never need. . .

No, thanks.

If I was paying for the software, I'd get home premium because I don't need any of the other features OR, I could always add 3rd party applications (mostly free) like TrueCrypt to get those features I might need in the future, or anytime upgrade if necessary in the future.

If you really need or like RDT, then go for Pro, although there are 3rd party apps for that feature as well, although I've never tried them.

In my case, I'm getting Ultimate because I will shortly have a TechNet subscription so I don't have to pay separately for it, but if I was paying for it, I'd get HP for sure. And I'd get an upgrade version rather than full. There is always going to be some fairly easy way to install it. There is no general performance difference between the versions unless you are planning on adding a lot of ram. The higher versions support more ram. But HP supports more than enough ram for 99.9% of people.

But some people can't be bothered to think think things through for themselves and just buy Ultimate. MS loves you.

 

[masterB]

Yeah, just waste my money on features I will never need. . .

No, thanks.

If I was paying for the software, I'd get home premium because I don't need any of the other features OR, I could always add 3rd party applications (mostly free) like TrueCrypt to get those features I might need in the future, or anytime upgrade if necessary in the future.

If you really need or like RDT, then go for Pro, although there are 3rd party apps for that feature as well, although I've never tried them.

In my case, I'm getting Ultimate because I will shortly have a TechNet subscription so I don't have to pay separately for it, but if I was paying for it, I'd get HP for sure. And I'd get an upgrade version rather than full. There is always going to be some fairly easy way to install it. There is no general performance difference between the versions unless you are planning on adding a lot of ram. The higher versions support more ram. But HP supports more than enough ram for 99.9% of people.

But some people can't be bothered to think think things through for themselves and just buy Ultimate. MS loves you.

You got that right my friend!
MS loves your money!
Most people don't know exactly the differences between the versions but they go Ultimate for nothing.

For me HP is good enough, I dualboot with XP and I don't need MS virtual piece of s... and the other feature from Ultimate.

 

[Tora]

Remote Desktop can be done by free softwares like Teamviewer. Just open the Quick Start Customer client and write down the ID and Password and take it with you, then you can connect from anywhere to your home PC and take "all control".

 

[noyb]

About the only thing I see in Ultimate that might be of interest to the average home user ..
would be the ability to backup your operating system.
But, You can Get Acronis to do this for a lot less .. and use it on any of your computers.

I have Home Premium on order .. In case I'm forced to discard XP

 

[pparks1]

About the only thing I see in Ultimate that might be of interest to the average home user ..
would be the ability to backup your operating system.

Actually all versions of Windows 7 will allow you to backup your operating system...including the ability to create a "system image". The only thing that you can do with Ultimate, Professional or Enterprise that cannot be done with other versions is backup to a network location. With any version of Windows 7, you can backup to DVD, hard drive or external drive.

RDP is easily replaceable with a handful of free options...including VNC. Security does vary..but for most internal network home use...it's not much of a concern.

I went with Ultimate for my new computer because I am a systems admin and do have an active directory domain controller running at home and I wanted the ability to join the domain. Therefore, I picked the Vista 64-bit OEM from NewEgg with free upgrade to Windows 7. Think it was about $185 if I remember correctly.

 

[DJG]

You pay the price for going ultimate and the majority of new users wont need it.

True, but his will be bigger than yours ...

Actually I'm an old power user but HP works for me - I have no need for domains or Bitlocker and such.

 

[blackroseMD1]

Yeah, when I bought Vista, I bought Home Premium. If I hadn't been given Ultimate, I would never have upgraded. With Win7, if I didn't have Technet, I would get Home Premium as well. BitLocker, language packs and XP Mode would not be enough for me to upgrade.

 

[MrAleX]

Yeah, when I bought Vista, I bought Home Premium. If I hadn't been given Ultimate, I would never have upgraded. With Win7, if I didn't have Technet, I would get Home Premium as well. BitLocker, language packs and XP Mode would not be enough for me to upgrade.

try ultimate man. you will see the PERFORMANCE compared to s**king of these 'home premium'

 

[DJG]

try ultimate man. you will see the PERFORMANCE compared to s**king of these 'home premium'

Oh, dang! I'd forgotten all about those "Ultimate Accelerators" :sarc:! If I'm lucky somebody here will have a hack so I can use them in my Home Premium without having to pay extra ...

Edit: I just realized that's why my Home Premium 7600 install is running so much slower than all my previous Ultimate installations!