AOMEI Partition Assistant
Difference Between Windows 11 Home and Pro: Which One Should I Choose?
Do you know the difference between Windows 11 Home and Pro when choosing the edition? Come to know what is the difference between Windows 11 and Pro to select a suitable one.
By Irene / Updated on July 19, 2023
With the release of Windows 11, Microsoft has introduced various editions to meet different user needs. Among these editions, Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro are the most widely used. But some users face difficulties in choosing the edition, and the concerns range from Windows 11 Pro vs Home for gaming to daily use.
While these editions have similarities, they also have distinct characteristics. This article will discuss the differences between Windows 11 Home and Pro, assisting you in choosing the version that aligns with your specific requirements.
What are the main differences between Windows 11 Home and Pro
Shortly say, the Home edition is designed for personal and non-commercial use, while the Pro edition targets small businesses, professionals, and advanced users who require additional features and functionalities. In this part, let's explore the specific differences between Windows 11 Home and Pro.
1. CPU
Windows 11 Home and Pro share the same system requirements and can generally run on the same PCs. However, Windows 11 Home and Pro differ significantly in terms of CPU capabilities.
Windows 11 Home supports a maximum of one CPU with 64 cores, whereas Windows 11 Pro allows for up to two CPUs and 128 cores. In addition, the Home edition PCs can only have one CPU socket, meaning only one CPU can be installed, while the Pro edition supports two CPU sockets.
CPU cores impact the performance and multitasking capabilities of a computer, while CPU sockets determine the compatibility between the CPU and the motherboard. Both aspects are important considerations when building or upgrading a computer system.
2. RAM
RAM (Random Access Memory) is another important parameter to consider when discussing what is the difference between Windows 11 Home and Pro. Windows 11 Home has a maximum memory limit of 128GB RAM, while the Pro edition can support up to 2TB. hen you have more RAM capacity, your computer can handle multiple tasks and applications simultaneously without slowing down or experiencing performance issues.
However, for everyday tasks and most common applications, even 8GB or 16GB of RAM is generally more than enough. With 128GB of RAM in Windows 11 Home Edition, you have an ample amount of memory that exceeds the requirements of typical daily computer usage.
3. Cost
When it comes to the difference between Windows 11 Home and Pro, the price is also worth concerning. Windows 11 Home costs $139, while Windows 11 Pro is priced at $199, which is $60 more expensive than the Home edition.
If you start with the Home edition but later decide to switch to the Pro edition, there is an additional $99 fee for the upgrade. However, if you are upgrading from Windows 10 to Windows 11 Home, the upgrade is free of charge.
4. Security Features
Windows 11 Pro includes additional security features specifically designed for business users who handle sensitive information. One of these features is BitLocker encryption, which safeguards your files by encrypting them on the hard drive. Windows 11 BitLocker ensures that even if your computer is stolen, unauthorized users won't be able to access your data.
Another security tool in Windows 11 Pro is Windows Information Protection (WIP). WIP helps prevent data leaks within a company by implementing data loss prevention measures. What’s more, WIP enables the separation of personal and business data on a device. If the PC is lost or stolen, business data can be remotely deleted without affecting personal information.
5. Others
Apart from the major differences between Windows 11 Home and Pro, there are some other features also worth mentioning, such as virtualization and remote desktop, enterprise management features, and so on. Here we prepare a list for you to further compare the two editions when it comes to Windows 11 Home vs Pro.
Bonus tips: How can I enjoy Windows 11 Pro features even if I choose Windows 11 Home
After discussing the difference between Windows 11 Home and Pro from several aspects, we can find the Pro Edition takes advantage of computer performance and security.
If you are a Windows 11 Home user who want to upgrade to the Pro Edition for a better experience. You can go to Start > Settings > System > Activation and select Change product key with enter the 25-character Windows 11 Pro product key for upgrading.
However, if you do not have the Windows 11 Pro product key, you’ll be prompted to do a clean installation of Windows 11 Pro and restart your PC. To save time and energy, here is an easy way that allows you to avoid reinstallation. AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional, as a computer management expert, offers a feature named Windows To Go Creator.
With that, you just need to simply download the ISO file of Windows 11 Pro to the USB for creating a bootable USB. And then, you can insert the USB to computer and enjoy the system. It is noticeable that this method would not affect your current system, and you can choose when to use Windows 11 Pro at anytime and anywhere.
1. You’ll need a USB larger than 13GB. If it has important data, you’d better backup it because all data will be erased.
2. If you need a new Windows 11, you may need to download Windows 11 ISO file.
Step 1. Insert the USB in and wait for your computer to detect it. If it failed, you can check solutions here.
Step 2. Install and run AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional. On the top toolbar, click "Tools" > "Windows To Go Creator".
Step 3. Choose “Create Windows To Go” for personal computer and click “Next”.
Step 4. Choose the suitable option "Create Windows To Go with system disc/ISO" or “Create Windows To Go with the current system”. If Windows 11 ISO file isn’t detected automatically, click the folder icon to select manually. Then, click “Next”.
Step 5. Select a USB drive as target and click “Proceed”
Step 6. You’ll receive the message that all data on this USB drive will be erased. Click “Yes” to continue.
After that, you can disconnect the USB, and try to boot it on another PC.
1. After you choose the creating way, you’ll see the current system info.
2. After you selected a USB, the program will restart into the Windows PE environment to create Windows To Go. Wait until the progress reaches 100%.
▌Further: How to boot Windows 11 from a USB drive?
If you don’t know how to boot Windows 11 from your Windows 11 To Go USB, here we have a step-by-step tutorial.
Step 1. Connect the Windows 11 To Go USB drive to your device. Boot the computer and press a certain key to enter BIOS/UEFI.
Step 2. Select USB Device and hit the “Enter” key to boot from the Windows 11 bootable USB.
Bottom line
With exploring the differences between Windows 11 Home and Pro, it is easy to know which one is more suitable for your needs. However, for Windows 11 Home users, there are also some tricks that are available to the features in the Pro Edition.
With AOMEI Partition Assistant, you can easily make best use of your computer on your own. Except for the aforementioned functions, the tool are widely used to moving installed programs to another drive to extend drive space, converting system disk between MBR/GPT for Windows 11 upgrading, migrating OS to SSD and so on. Windows Server users can turn to the Server Edition to enjoy the benefits.
