Differentiate Windows 8 Pro and Windows RT

Windows 8 is an operating system that can be said to be very different from previous versions of Windows such as XP, Vista or Windows 7. The difference is not only in the interface but also in the variety of versions. .

Since it is designed to support both ARM and x86 processors, Windows 8 also has versions for each different hardware. Let's find out.

Differentiate Windows 8 versions

Although in detail, this operating system has 5 versions, but basically, Windows 8 will have 3 main versions: Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro, Windows RT. Windows 8 is the standard version for general users. Windows 8 Pro is a slightly more advanced version than Windows 8 for more "pro" users with features like encryption, virtualization.

Windows RT is the version of Windows 8 running on devices using ARM architecture processors, chip platform on mobile devices, equipped on Android tablets as well as iPad . The contents below will clarify the differences between the two versions: Windows 8 and Windows RT (abbreviated to Windows RT).

Release date of Windows RT and Windows 8

Windows 8 will be released on October 26. Meanwhile, the tablet running Windows RT will also launch soon after, promising in November.

Setting

With Windows 8, users can upgrade or purchase the operating system separately to install on the computer. However, with Windows RT, users will only be allowed to buy the device as it is preinstalled on the device. Microsoft does not sell this operating system separately.

Price

Windows RT obviously has no specific selling price like Windows 8 because it comes with the device. Microsoft only sells Windows RT licenses to hardware partners. However, the license price of this version will be cheaper than Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro. Device prices running Windows RT will also be cheaper than Windows 8 devices. You can imagine this price difference as the price difference between a tablet running Android (using ARM chips) and a laptop running Windows (using Intel chips). . In addition to cheaper chip prices, Windows RT is cheaper because users don't have to pay for Microsoft Office's famous office tools.

Upgrade

Users cannot upgrade to Windows RT from any operating system because this is a completely new Windows version of Microsoft. If your PC is running Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic or Home Premium versions, you can upgrade to Windows 8. With Windows 7 Ultimate or Professional versions, you must reinstall. However, if you choose Windows 8 Pro, you can upgrade from any version of Windows 7. Like previous Windows versions, 32-bit Windows 7 users will only upgrade to 32-bit Windows 8. Similar to the 64-bit version.

Hardware support

This is the most important difference between Windows RT and Windows 8. Windows RT runs only on devices that use ARM chips while Windows 8 only runs on devices that use x86 processors from Intel and AMD.

Display

Both Windows RT and Windows 8 run the Metro interface but in Windows 8, users have the option to choose Desktop interface to run traditional Windows applications. In contrast, Windows RT does not support old Windows applications from 3rd party. It only supports some traditional Windows applications written by Microsoft itself.

Software and compatibility

While Windows RT will have a preinstalled version of Office on your device, Windows 8 / Pro does not. However, Windows 8 / Pro will be compatible with applications written for previous Windows versions (XP / Vista / 7) and Windows RT. The application for Windows RT must use the Metro interface, and Windows 8 applications can be used on both traditional Desktop interfaces.

Windows RT also limits the application programming language (API) that programmers can use, especially for web browsers. According to previous information, Microsoft does not allow Mozilla to develop Firefox for Windows RT, but only IE 10 works on this version.

Function

Windows 8 seems to be more favored than Windows RT. Specifically, Windows RT will not have Windows Media Player, connect multiple drives into one (Storage Spaces), no Bitlocker encryption capability, no domain support . The whole thing is both versions Both support multilingual, IE10, Xbox Live, Windows Defender, Exchange ActiveSync .