Windows 7 comes in four flavors. Each flavor has a different combination of features and prices. To help you sort out the confusion, we'll guide you through each and make recommendations for the version which is best for you.
Windows 7 Home Premium
- Cost: $199.99 for the full version; $119.99 for the upgrade version (if you have Windows Vista or Windows XP already installed).
- About it: This is the lowest-priced full version of Windows 7 (a starter edition is available for netbook users.) It includes all the basic functionality needed by many. It ships with the Internet Explorer 8 web browser, Windows Media Player for listening to music and watching video, and sports Windows 7's new, less cluttered interface.
- Who it's best for: The average user or family will find most everything they need with Home Premium. It's a good choice for non-technical users, and those who don't need it to connect to a work network. This will satisfy the large majority of users.
Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade Family Pack
- Cost: $149.99. There is no full version available; only an upgrade version.
- About it: This is a version of Windows 7 that's identical to Home Premium, but it comes with three licenses. It allows you to load Windows 7 on three computers, and pay a fraction of the price you'd spend on full licenses for each. For instance, putting Home Premium on three computers without the Family Pack would cost about $360.
- Who it's best for: A family with multiple computers; it will save gobs of money with this option.
Windows 7 Professional
- Cost: $299.99 for the full version; $199.99 for the upgrade version.
- About it: Windows 7 Professional has everything Home Basic offers, and adds a number of new features. They include a full-featured backup program, to back up your hard drive in case of a failure; Windows XP Mode, which allows software that may not be compatible with Windows 7 to run in a "virtual" mode that tricks older programs into thinking they're running on Windows XP; and the ability to join a domain, which can be important if your computer will sometimes be connected to your work network.
- Who it's best for: Power users, who have greater needs than the average user. Also, those who don't want to buy a third-party backup solution may want to opt for this version, since it has backup built in. If you have many old programs that you rely on, this is also a good choice, since XP Mode will make running those programs possible.
Windows 7 Ultimate
- Cost: $319.99 for the full version; $219.99 for the upgrade version.
- About it: Windows 7 Ultimate is slightly more expensive than Professional, because it adds just one more valuable feature: BitLocker. BitLocker is a security technology that allows you to encrypt your entire hard drive. Encrypting a hard drive makes the data much more secure, keeping it from thieves who might want to steal it.
- Who it's best for: Those with high security jobs should consider Ultimate. If you regularly carry sensitive data around on a laptop, or on a thumb or flash drive (small, portable hard drives that you plug into the computer), BitLocker is a great technology.
