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| Which Edition Should I Buy? SUMMARY: Microsoft has released several editions of Windows Vista. See which one is right for you.
As Microsoft has released several editions of Windows Vista to the public, if you decide to upgrade to this operating system, choosing which edition to buy can be confusing. Here is a synopsis of the differences between the available versions. Note that the listed upgrade and retail prices are Microsoft's suggested retail prices as of March 14, 2007, and are in US dollars.
* Windows Vista Starter (prices not listed) - A low-priced edition of Windows Vista only available in "emerging markets". Developed to run on lower-power machines, it will not run on 64-bit processors. Windows Vista Starter does not have all of the features in other, more expensive, editions of Windows such as Windows Aero.
* Windows Vista Home Basic ($99.95/$199.00) - The lowest price edition of Windows Vista available worldwide. While this edition includes security and searching features, it lacks many features in other editions such as the Windows Aero interface.
* Windows Vista Home Premium ($159.99/$239.00)- An enhanced edition of Windows Vista for the home audience. This and all higher editions include the Windows Aero user interface, laptop options, online collaboration, and a scheduled backup tool. The Home Premium edition also includes features designed for the home user such as Windows Media Center, Windows DVD Maker, and games.
* Windows Vista Business ($199.00/$299.00)- Geared towards the business audience, this edition of Windows Vista lacks the home user features but instead concentrates on professional features such as Complete PC Backup and Restore and enhanced business networking.
* Window Vista Ultimate ($259.00/$399.00)- The high-end edition of Windows Vista, Windows Vista Ultimate includes all of the features in the other editions of Windows Vista plus drive encryption via Windows BitLocker.
* Windows Vista Enterprise (prices not listed) - This edition of Windows Vista is only available for "Volume License customers who have PCs covered by Microsoft Software Assurance". It includes BitLocker drive encryption, application compatibility tools, and the Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications (SUA), allowing you to run some UNIX applications on a Windows Vista PC.
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