Windows 8 and Windows RT difference

Computer Store News

Windows 8 and Windows 8 new devices will be available to consumers around the world on the 26th of this month, but before purchasing these devices or software upgrades, You should fully understand the difference between different versions of Windows 8. A few months ago, Microsoft announced that it will introduce three consumer-grade versions of its upcoming operating system, Windows 8, Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro and Windows RT.

There is little difference between Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro. They all have a full-featured start screen and desktop environment, and the biggest difference between the two and Windows RT is Windows RT. It runs in a mobile environment and runs only applications and pre-installed software on the Windows Store.

The following is a comparison of Windows 8 and Windows RT:

Release Date

Windows 8 and Windows RT are released on October 26.

Price

Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro will be available for purchase at retail stores and online, and will be upgraded separately. The physical upgrade package for Windows 8 Pro has been booked for $70. Microsoft said users can also upgrade to Windows 8 Pro online on October 26 for $40. Users who purchase Windows 7 devices from June 2, 2012 to January 3, 2013 will be able to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $15. However, Microsoft has not announced the price of the basic version of Windows 8.

Windows RT is technically not for sale because users cannot purchase Windows RT upgrades. Windows RT will only be pre-installed on certain devices, such as Surface RT and Microsoft original equipment manufacturer partners. Windows RT devices are expected to be less expensive than Windows 8 devices.

Hardware

Windows 8 will only run on x86-based devices supported by Intel or AMD chips.

Windows RT will only run on ARM architecture devices. ARM chips consume less power and are cheaper.

Battery Life

The battery life of the upcoming Windows 8 device is estimated to be 6 to 8 hours.

Windows RT devices have better battery life than most Windows 8 devices. Microsoft said that the Surface RT battery can be used for a whole day, with a battery life of 8 to 13 hours. Dell also claims that its upcoming XPS 10 RT tablet will have a battery life of up to 20 hours.

Interface

Windows 8 uses the full-featured start screen and desktop mode.

At first glance, the Windows RT interface is the same as Windows 8, but the Windows RT desktop mode is not fully functional. In fact, users cannot run third-party software on the Windows RT desktop.

Software Support

Windows 8 will be able to run all the software in the Windows Store and all third-party software running on previous versions of Windows.

Windows RT will only support applications and pre-installed versions of Office 2013 in the Windows Store. This means that users will not be able to download any software that runs from the network in a desktop environment. Windows RT does not support third-party browsers, does not support third-party games, and does not support any third-party software. Software that users run on Windows RT must be Microsoft certified and come from the Windows Store.

Currently, the Windows Store has about 5,000 apps, and over 90% of apps are compatible with Windows RT. The number of apps isn't huge, and some important apps like Spotify and Facebook won't run on Windows RT. Windows RT does not have Windows Media Player functionality, but comes pre-installed with other media players such as Xbox Music.

Enterprise Applications

Windows 8 is a tool that has evolved from previous versions of Windows to support enterprise users. Windows 8 Pro provides features such as Remote Desktop Server, Active Directory Domain Support, File System Encryption, Virtualization, and BitLocker.

Windows RT is not necessarily an enterprise-friendly platform because it is not compatible with third-party software, and users will have to rely on pre-installed Microsoft applications to get the job done. The pre-installed RT version of Office 2013 will not have the usual software for businesses like Outlook, but it will provide Word, Powerpoint and Excel software. Windows RT devices like Surface RT may be another very good enterprise tool, but if you want a full-featured enterprise platform, you must use Windows 8.

Different users

If you want a tablet or mobile convertible device with an iPad function, then choosing a Windows RT device is a good fit. Take Surface RT as an example, the product is sufficient for those who want to have basic productivity tools like Office, as well as touch and mobile friendly environments. However, keep in mind that Windows RT can only run applications in the Windows Store, and the applications in the Windows Store are not very rich.