Do Laptops Come With Windows Installed?
You’ve bought or are considering buying a new laptop and want to know whether you need to also now to fork out for an Operating System too.
Do laptops come with Windows installed? Yes, Windows now comes installed on most laptops by default. Since Microsft released Windows 10 Home (S Mode) most laptop retailers now sell their laptops with this version pre-installed for you, you just need to run through the setup wizard to complete the customization. The only exception to this rule is if you want a different Operating System on your laptop and you should be able to request this otherwise you will need to install it yourself.
Why do laptops come with a free version of Windows?
Microsoft wants to dominate the market, in order to compete with Linux and other Operating Systems so it makes business sense to have an agreement with the major laptop manufacturers to have their Operating System shipped with your new machine.
Are there exceptions?
Yes. For example, the Chromebook from Google has Chrome OS on it, a Macbook has the Apple OS.
Also, there are a lot of hybrid laptops or versions such as netbooks/tablets that have versions of Android OS on them.
Can I request that my new laptop does not have Windows installed?
Yes, you can, you will just need to specify this when you check out. It may be more difficult from some stores than others, for example, if you are buying from Amazon or eBay (but not impossible). In some cases, the seller would need to format the hard drive on your behalf so it’s not unknown for smaller sellers to charge for the removal but if you buy from larger stores such as Dell or HP direct usually there is no fee.
Is Microsoft home free forever?
Apparently so. There will be cosmetic upgrades from time to time and perhaps freemium style improvements (if you want to call them this) but Microsoft does not plan to charge you for the installation.
What do I need to do after I’ve started my new laptop up?
Windows will run you through a series of questions (called a wizard) which will enable you to customize the look and feel of your new Operating System. You can decide upon your user account and parental control settings, your start menu order, web browser options and anti-virus.
What comes with my free version of Microsoft?
It depends upon where you buy it because different sellers include their own variations and deals such as 12 months free anti-virus.
Microsoft do include a 30 day trial of Home Premium Office on their roll-out which can be swapped for a cheaper subscription such as Office 365 (not included with Windows).
My personal choice is to go with Office 365 and also to install Dropbox for file storage. I do this because I find it reliable. I think Google and Microsoft are too volatile with changing their products and if had a lot of sentimental pictures and documents I fully expect them (and others such the free space that is given by my ISP) to one day be removed or the price hiked. This is just my opinion, I love Google’s products but they change and remove them too frequently to be reliable in the long term.
People also ask:
What are the first thing to do with a new Windows 10 laptop?
You will run through a customization wizard once you have turned it on which is quite self-explanatory. My personal recommendation as an IT technician is to ensure that upon first use you let the battery fully discharge before using your power adapter and then let it fully re-charge without the laptop being switched on. This is because the first time a battery is used the charging pattern is set and unless you set the charging cycle up in this way you will not get the optimal charge time out of your laptop battery.
When you buy a new laptop does it come with Microsoft Office?
If you have a new laptop with Microsoft Home installed then you will get a 30 day trial of Office too. You don’t have to continue with it after the trial though and my personal recommendation is to go with Office 365.
