Microsoft has revealed the names for each edition of the upcoming version of the famous operating system. To simplify and in an effort not to confuse people, the company has narrowed them down to three main editions: Windows 8, Windows Pro, Windows RT, and a special version called Windows 8 Enterprise.
To learn more about each edition, read — Windows 8 editions official unveiled by Microsoft (Hint: Get the last one).
Even though there are three major editions of the OS, the question remains: Which is the difference among the three main Windows 8 editions? The answer in the features that users will be able to use with each edition. The table below breaks down all the versions of the operating system by features to help you understand what you’ll be getting on each edition:
| Windows 8 Feature Names | Windows 8 | Windows 8 Pro | Windows RT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upgrades from Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium | Yes | Yes | No |
| Upgrades from Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate | No | Yes | No |
| Start screen, Semantic Zoom, Live Tiles | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Store | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Apps (Mail, Calendar, People, Messaging, Photos, SkyDrive, Reader, Music, Video) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote) | No | No | Yes |
| Internet Explorer 10 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Device encryption | No | No | Yes |
| Connected standby | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft account | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Installation of x86/64 and desktop software | Yes | Yes | No |
| Updated Windows Explorer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Defender | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Smart screen | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Update | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Enhanced Task Manager | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Switch languages on the fly (Language Packs) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Better multiple monitor support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Storage Spaces | Yes | Yes | No |
| Windows Media Player | Yes | Yes | No |
| Exchange ActiveSync | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| File history | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dynamic volume support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ISO / VHD mount | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile broadband features | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Picture password | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Play To | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Remote Desktop (host) | No | Yes | No |
| Remote Desktop (client) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Offline Files | No | Yes | No |
| Reset and refresh your PC | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Snap | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Touch and Thumb keyboard | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Trusted boot | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VPN client | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BitLocker and BitLocker To Go | No | Yes | No |
| Boot from VHD | No | Yes | No |
| Client Hyper-V | No | Yes | No |
| Domain Join | No | Yes | No |
| Encrypting File System | No | Yes | No |
| Group Policy | No | Yes | No |
| Remote Desktop (host) | No | Yes | No |
| Windows SmartScreen | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Shake | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Media: Dolby Digital encoder, H.264 and AAC | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Family Safety | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| PIN | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| File Explorer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Push Button Reset | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum number of CPUs | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Maximum RAM | 4GB (x86) and 16GB (x64) | 4GB (x86) and 64GB (x64) | 4GB |
| Windows To Go (Enterprise edition only) | No | No | No |
Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].