Windows 7 Editions

Windows 7 will come in six editions—the same number as Windows Vista, which was criticized for having too many edition choices that complicated purchasing. However, each edition of Windows 7 will be a superset of the next-lower edition, eliminating one point of confusion with Vista, where some editions have overlapping sets of features. In addition, Microsoft says it will focus its marketing on fewer editions than it did with Vista, although business customers will still have to choose between at least two editions, Professional and Enterprise.

(For a checklist of selected features available in each, see the illustration “Windows 7 Features by Edition“.)

Six Editions

In Feb. 2009, Microsoft announced that Windows 7 will be available in the following six editions.

Starter. This version of the OS will have the fewest features. However, Microsoft dropped its plan to limit this edition to running at most three applications simultaneously. Windows XP and Vista also had Starter Editions with significant limitations. However, Starter Editions of those OSs were available exclusively in emerging markets (excluding the United States, Western Europe, and Japan, among other places), while Windows 7 Starter Edition will be available to OEMs worldwide. Yet, most consumers will probably not see Starter offered in many places: it will not be sold at retail, and Microsoft will limit it to particular low-powered or low-priced hardware configurations. While Starter would seem to be the most obvious edition for “netbooks”—a fast-growing class of highly portable PCs priced under US$500—Microsoft believes that the vast majority of netbooks will in fact be able to run Windows 7 Home Premium.