14 Dec Windows 10 Pro Vs Home Gaming: Differences and similarities
Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Home are two separate operating systems that you can use on your laptop, desktop, tablet, and smartphone. The good news is that the difference between them is pretty small. Here’s a quick comparison of Windows 10 Pro vs Windows 10 Home for your reference.
Windows 10 pro vs Windows 10 home: Main differences
The following are the main differences between Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Home.
Windows start menu
The Windows start menu is similar between the Home and Pro versions. The main difference being that you can add programs and folders to your Start Menu through a software called Start10, while in Windows 10 Home all options are located on the taskbar along with an option to pin apps directly there.
Cortana
One of the most common differences is Cortana, Microsoft’s always listening assistant. Cortana can be set as a default application in Windows 10 Home but there are no settings for using it when offline.
Windows Store Apps
One other notable difference is which apps are updated via the Windows Store, meaning that shiny new GSIs like UWP (Charms) or Edge get installed as part of Windows 10 Home.
Windows Ink
Windows Ink is a new note-taking and sketching app that lets you take notes on the go. It’s very much like Wacom MobileStudio Cintiq — which was recently discontinued along with many other tablets — but better integrated into Windows 10 Pro.
Windows Hello
Windows Hello is a system-level security feature that allows passwordless login by authenticating you on the face, iris or fingerprint of your device.
Windows hello works with biometric readers like the infrared camera in Windows 10 Pro’s Fusion laptops and smartphones to allow for one click authentication . Not yet available in Home version but coming soon.
Programs outside the Windows Store
If you check the Programs, Apps and Features control screen in Windows 10 Pro or Home editions (also called Store on PC), the list of apps can differ:
In Pro you’ll find 1-Click Maintenance , an old but handy utility for troubleshooting drivers, setting up user accounts and managing other things. In addition to that there is a link to Microsoft Office Online , a web-based version of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Hyper-V
Hyper-V is virtualization, which allows running a real PC inside your Windows 10 Pro device. This feature was present in previous versions of Windows but now it’s available on all device types and editions, even down to the least expensive Home version.
BitLocker
Just like PwnStar, BitLocker is used to encrypt the hard disc drive (which contains all your data) of Windows 10 Pro or Home edition. Many IT experts say that it’s too difficult for regular users to use and configure , but in practice — at least on pro PCs – this security feature only adds some additional steps when removing a new device. It supports AES 256-bit encryption and Samsung TETHEREDKEY (we’ll say more on that later).
There is a second hard disk encryption feature available for all versions of Windows 10: the Trusted Platform Module (TPM), which allows PC to be configured with multiple keys. You have to purchase additional hardware and software from Microsoft, but it also costs $69. I hope this will make up for the inability to use BitLocker or TPM in Pro editions.
Microsoft Update for Business
This feature is only available in Pro edition. This is a service for Windows deployed in BYOD (bring your own device) mobile workplaces. If a computer that was used by multiple users and not properly configured or managed by IT support , after downloading the Microsoft Updates from this server it means it forms part of an ‘infection’ and will be identified as such to all connected computers, including non-Pro versions .
Remote Desktop
This feature comes to Windows 10 computers that run on a single domain and allows you to access them from any other computer or device. You may have used Remote Desktop in the past, but it was only for desktop computers. Now with this new feature it’s possible Connect using your phone , start RDP (or VNC) session on another user’s PC, tablet, game console etc.. This is great if workstation crashing doesn ‘t happen too often. If password was stolen , it is possible to deny further access directly from a remote computer .
Assigned Access
This feature allows a user to be identified and have rights only for that specific device, but is different from “remote desktop” in the sense that it retains access privileges regardless of reboots or disconnection . This deleted after logoff. For example, you can download select files from your corporate server using this tool (allows opening remote folder as well).
Conclusion
Windows 10 is a wonderful operating system for gaming, but it’s not the best platform for it. If you’re going to be playing your games on windows 10, I recommend that you choose Home because it has some of the best options available.