Which Windows 11 Version is the Best

Which-Version-of-Windows-11-is-Best

After six years of Windows 10, the world witnessed the update of the most popular desktop operating system, i.e., Windows 11. While you all are using Windows 10 and Windows Insider Program is already available, thoughts regarding which version of Windows 11 is best are common.

Although Microsoft claimed Windows 10 to be their last version, they announced Windows 11 after a couple of years. As a result, the whole world has become excited to know which version of Windows 11 would be the best of use for them.

That being said, when we first ran Windows 11 on our PC, we were surprised to nice that it isn’t a major overhaul despite the new look. For sure, it looks beautiful with the taskbar items in the middle and elegant dialog boxes.

However, the question still remains in the minds of users who are planning to upgrade. So now, let’s dive in deeper and know which version of Windows 11 is the best for you.

Which Version of Windows 11 is Best

Which Versions Are Available in Windows 11?

Just like Windows 10, Windows 11 follows the same road map of versions that were earlier available for the former. The different versions of Windows 11 are as follows:

  1. Windows 11 Home
  2. Windows 11 Pro
  3. Windows 11 Enterprise
  4. Windows 11 Education
  5. Windows 11 IoT Enterprise
  6. Windows Server 2022 Standard
  7. Windows Server 2022 Datacenter
  8. Windows 11 Mixed Reality

You can see that there are a total of 9 versions available for Windows 11. Owing to that, you may not know which version is best for you. But don’t worry, we will help you to make an informed decision before you decide to upgrade.

What are the System Requirements for Windows 11, and How Can You Get It?

Windows 11 is already available to download as a beta program. You simply need to enroll yourself in the Windows Insider Program and get your system updated. However, before updating, you might have a few questions in mind. We have prepared a separate guide regarding your questions about Windows 11. You can have a look at that before upgrading.

So now, talking about the system requirements, here’s what you need to know.

Minimum System Requirements to Run Windows 11

Processor: 1 GHz or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC)
RAM: 4 gigabyte (GB)
Storage: 64 GB or more
System firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable
TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0
Graphics card: Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver
Display: High definition (720p) display that is greater than 9 inches diagonally, 8 bits per color channel
Internet connectivity and Microsoft accounts: 
  • Windows 11 Home edition requires internet connectivity and a Microsoft account to complete device setup on first use.
  • Switching a device out of Windows 11 Home in S mode also requires internet connectivity.
  • For all versions of Windows 11, internet access is necessary to perform updates and to download and take advantage of some features.
  • A Microsoft account is required for some features.

If you think your system is not capable of running Windows 11, you can go to Microsoft’s official PC health checker app that will tell you the exact details. However, for some unknown reasons, that app has been taken down by Microsoft. But you don’t need to worry; since Windows 11 is now at its beta stage, chances are requirements will change once it is launched.

You can also check your computer properties by pressing the Windows and Pause Break keys together. This will give you a clearer idea of what your computer is capable of.

How to Download Windows 11?

You cannot download Windows 11 until you are already using Windows 10, and that’s the sad reality. However, other spam sites may give you insights into downloading Windows 11 ISO, but you cannot trust them. Right? So follow the legitimate way and get yourself a genuine copy of Windows 11.

Further, if you are already using Windows 10, there are some steps involved, and we will give you a walkaround of that. Follow these steps to get yourself Windows 11.

  1. Go to this website.
  2. Register for Windows Insider Program.
  3. Click on the star button and go to settings.
  4. In the settings window, navigate to Update and security.
  5. There you will find an option to update, click on that, and agree to all the terms and conditions.
  6. Click on “Start Fighting.”
  7. Make sure to join through the Dev channel to receive the latest updates. But make sure you are logged in using the same account that you used while signing up for the Insider program.
  8. Now click on Update, and you will see Windows will start downloading the latest build.

That’s your Windows 11 being downloaded. However, on the off chances, you may notice a pop-up that says your PC is not eligible for Windows 11. In that case, you can try rebooting your PC or follow this guide here.

After Windows 11 is downloaded, Windows will prompt you to restart your computer and install the new update. Click on restart now, and your computer will be rebooted to Windows 11.

What are the Available Versions of Windows 11?

You get a total of 8 versions for Windows 11. They are:

  1. Windows 11 Home
  2. Windows 11 Pro
  3. Windows 11 Enterprise
  4. Windows 11 Education
  5. Windows 11 IoT Enterprise
  6. Windows Server 2022 Standard
  7. Windows Server 2022 Datacenter
  8. Windows 11 Mixed Reality

Now you may be confused about which version is best for you. Well, you cannot shift to any other version. But wait, that doesn’t mean you are restricted to shift.

Suppose you are using Windows 10 Home and you updated it to Windows 11. In that case, you cannot update your copy of Windows 10 Home into Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise. You will need to pay a handsome amount of money to upgrade.

If you are ready to bear the costs, you can easily upgrade to versions of your choice.

Which Version of Windows 11 is Best for Me?

Now that’s a million-dollar question. Before knowing which version of Windows 11 is best for you, you may want to consider what are the different functionalities that come with different versions of Windows 11. Let’s dig in a bit deeper to know what each version of Windows 11 has to offer.

Windows 11 Home

Windows 11 home is the most basic Windows 11 version and supposedly the most suited one. While its name seems to be a bit confusing, Windows 11 Home has all the required functionalities one would expect from his PC. Interestingly, around 95% of PCs selling worldwide, Windows 11 home comes preinstalled.

If you upgrade from Windows 10 Home to Windows 11, there’s a high chance that you are running a Windows 11 Home now. As said earlier, if you upgrade your Windows, you are most likely to stay in the same version even after the update.

So if you are planning to buy a new PC now or perhaps building a new one, Windows 11 Home is your best bet. You get almost all functionalities, and someone buys a PC for mostly coding, surfing the internet, gaming, or video editing. For these purposes, Windows 11 Home is your go-to.

Though keep in mind, in some PCs, you also get a version of Windows with the suffix S. Beware of that because S stands for Microsoft Store. You will be bounded by Microsoft Store to download any application. And your needed application may or may not be in the store.

Windows 11 Pro

As the name suggests, Windows 11 Pro, pro stands for Professional. Further, this Windows 11 version includes all the features offered by the Home edition. Besides, you get some more convenient tools that are business utilitarian.

However, this doesn’t mean home users cannot use Pro. It adds some tools such as BitLocker that adds enhanced encryption options. Also, you get a Remote Desktop that lets you log into other’s PCs when you are away from them. You can do that from the Home edition as well using some third-party tools such as TeamViewer or AnyDesk.

Another thing you get is the ability to run Virtual Machines, and that can also be performed on the Home edition using several VM runners available. Virtual machines run as sandboxes and do not affect your current operating system if you wish to run Linux or any other operating system side by side.

Windows 11 Enterprise

You are lucky if you encounter the Enterprise version from a home computer unless you work for an organization. First and foremost, you cannot buy this Windows 11 version because the enterprise edition of Windows 11 is directly from Microsoft.

Generally, a company buys a volume license from Microsoft that allows all its PCs to install the Enterprise edition. Moreover, the enterprise edition includes all the features of Pro along with some of its own that focus on handling IT infrastructure, Administrator panels, and monitoring employees’ PC remotely.

Windows 11 Education

Again, you cannot go but Windows 11 education on your own unless you are a student or work at some college or university. Weirdly, you won’t come across this edition of Windows 11 in your life because most of these colleges or universities prefer using the Home edition for convenience.

Windows 11 Education is a low-cost offering from Microsoft primarily for the aforesaid institutes. And some features such as Microsoft store can also be turned off by default. You don’t want that, right?

Windows IoT

Windows IoT is a special version of Windows that is specifically targeted for low-powered devices such as touch screen smartphones. Either way, the devices that are unable to set up the desktop interface. You would like to know that IoT stands for Internet of things.

Further, if you want something adventurous, you can install Windows IoT in a Rasberry Pi. We will cover that in another guide soon.

Final Verdict

If you want to use your PC primarily for your own stuff, such as gaming, consuming multimedia, or anything else, Windows 11 Home is your best decision. To make things even more interesting, the features you miss out on Windows 11 Pro can easily be made available using some third-party application software.

BitLocker is completely a different thing as any third party cannot replicate that, but you still get a whole lot of password file protectors that you can use to protect your personal files and encrypt them.

Moreover, with Windows 11 Home, you get all the functionalities, and none of them are blocked. So your best decision would be to stick to the Home edition even if you are upgrading your PC.

We hope this guide helped you. If you liked this, don’t forget to check out our other explainers, best lists, and how-to guides. Furthermore, if you have any questions or suggestions, please use the comment section below to contact us.

Posted by
Johnson Miller

Miller has been a video game journalist for over 3 years, contributing to publications all over the world in his freelance capacity. Magic: The Gathering, Dark Souls, Diablo, and Divinity: Original Sin are some of his favorite games.

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