READER OFFER: Windows 10 Pro for £59.99
Find out how to claim your low-price copy of Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro
T here are many reasons to buy a separate copy of Windows 10. Perhaps you’re building a new PC from scratch or looking to move up from an older version of Windows. Maybe you want to run a version of Windows alongside macOS or Linux.
Whatever your reason, a Windows 10 OEM licence is a great choice. OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer (think Acer and Dell), and that means it’s tied to one PC (so you can’t reuse the licence on a new build). But that’s reflected in a far lower price than the £119.99 for the retail version of Windows 10 Home.
Here’s why you should consider Windows 10 OEM and how to get a great deal on Windows 10 Home OEM and Windows 10 Pro OEM.
The OEM difference
A Windows 10 OEM licence is perfect for fresh installs. It’s the obvious choice for those building a new PC from scratch – the lower price means you save money on the cost of your build – but you may also need a fresh OEM licence if you’ve upgraded your motherboard. Officially, Microsoft considers that a new PC.
OEM is also a good choice if you’re looking to upgrade from XP, Vista or even Windows 7. XP and Vista users can’t simply upgrade their install to Windows 10 anyway, and while the option exists in Windows 7, it’s not recommended for compatibility and performance reasons. Take advantage of the update to install a fresh, pristine copy of Windows.
An OEM licence also fits the bill if you want to run Windows alongside another OS – either in a dual-boot configuration or in a virtual environment. In either event, it’s a more cost-effective choice than splashing out on a full retail licence.
From Windows 10 Home to Pro
If you already own Windows 10 Home, an OEM licence provides a way to upgrade to Pro. This means you’ll benefit from additional features such as BitLocker, which offers system-wide data protection by encrypting your drives, including USB keys. Then there’s Assigned Access, which gives greater control over what users are able to do on a system, whilst Hyper-V allows you to run virtualised OSes within Windows without the need for extra software.