Windows 11 Home vs Pro for Gaming - Which version is better?
When building up a gaming PC, people usually spend most of their time completing the necessary hardware. This includes a motherboard, processor, RAM, graphics card, etc. It’s kind of obvious since hardware plays a crucial role in your PC’s gaming performance.
Unfortunately, most of us neglect the software aspect, choosing whatever version of a given operating system. Windows 11 was released on October 5, 2021, and is currently installed on millions of computers worldwide.
For Microsoft, gamers play a massive role in their marketing strategy. Considering that they own Xbox, it’s no surprise that Windows 11 has been designed with all the gaming apps in mind. Find out why switching to Windows 11 is an amazing experience with RoyalCDKeys!
Windows 11 Pro Vs Home Which Version Should I Choose?
For gaming alone, the best Windows 11 is the Home Edition. It has all the features needed for regular use. Getting Pro or Enterprise won’t benefit your gaming experience in any way since extra features and security functions won’t add anything to your gaming performance.
Unless you’re doing some professional work besides gaming, then you might consider picking one over the other. We’ll get into that later.
Above all, make sure you’re installing the 64-bit version of Windows 11! The difference between 32 and 64-bit versions is massive since 32-bit can only access 4GB of physical memory. In 2022 that amount is way too low for gaming, and you’re probably rocking at least 8 or 16GB in your PC.
If you’re unsure what version you're running, you can check it by right-clicking on “Start” and choosing “System.” If the screen says you have an x64-based processor, you need a 64-bit system. If it says x86, then you’ll need a 32-bit version.
Windows 11 Home Edition
Less is more. The basic version of Windows 11 checks all the boxes for regular consumer usage. If you’re a gamer, there’s a handful of gaming features that should be considered when upgrading to a newer system. Some of them are small, while others might be game-changers.
Here’s the list of the most notable ones:
- DirectStorage is borrowed directly from Microsoft’s newest consoles – Xbox Series X/S. It utilizes NVMe SSDs to quickly load assets and improve texture loading without affecting the CPU. Everything is rendered at lightning speeds, without long load times.
- Auto HDR is a machine learning feature that brings High Dynamic Range (HDR) mode to any title, regardless of whether it's a supported game or not.
Now you can experience incredibly detailed game worlds with titles built at least on DirectX 11 that previously only leveraged Standard Dynamic Range (SDR). However, you’ll need an HDR-capable display to take advantage of that.
- With the Xbox app, you can use Xbox Game Pass on your PC. When upgraded to Ultimate, you gain access to Xbox Cloud Gaming via browser, phone, or TV. This way, you can play new games like Forza Horizon or Halo Infinite on the go streaming from Xbox Cloud! Even entry-level Windows PCs can make use of this feature.
Game Bar and Game Mode are also made to make your PC gaming more convenient, but we will cover them in a separate paragraph.
Windows 11 Pro
Designed with professionals in mind, it also carries the same features for every PC gamer out there. Before anything else, the significant difference between Home and Pro versions is pricing.
If you want to buy a license by itself, the Windows 11 Home Edition will cost $139.99, while the Pro will cost $199.99. at RoyalCDKeys we offer Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro activation keys for competitive prices. Furthermore, they can be activated legitimately like those from official stores but without spending a fortune! The excellent news is devices with Windows 10 Pro installed can also take advantage of a free upgrade to Windows 11 Pro.
In short, it carries more security features, has virtual machine capabilities, and has support for even more RAM. How are these new features going to affect your gaming rig?
Both operating systems are relatively the same when compared to their gaming potential. If you use the system for working and playing, then the Pro version is a good choice.
Windows 11 Enterprise
Perfect version for those who need management software solutions. Keep in mind this version is available in the form of an OEM key. You have to buy a volume licensing agreement. It’s not for public consumption.
It carries the same gaming features as the two operating systems mentioned above but with additional business activity apps. You can game with no problem, and it won’t affect your PC’s performance at all.
However, keep in mind that one needs to set the right permissions to play games on devices that carry the Windows 11 Enterprise. If you’re not working with a company that obligates you to use the Enterprise version, just give it a pass.
Windows 11 Game Bar and Game Mode
Like Windows 10, Windows 11 also features a complete ecosystem that easily transfers between systems. You just have to log in to your Microsoft account after upgrading to a newer system.
This way, you can manage your Xbox Live account from the taskbar. Moreover, if you have an Xbox, you can play games on your PC within the same local network.
Xbox Game Bar
Xbox Game Bar is a utility feature that comes built-in with Windows 11. Here’s what you can do with it:
- Record and share clips of video games.
- Ability to voice-over your recordings.
- Tracking CPU and GPU performance.
- A social widget to communicate with your Xbox buddies.
Xbox Game Bar is fully customizable with a ton of different settings. If you like sharing things with a larger community, you will love this new feature.
Game Mode
Windows 11 also comes with prebuilt Game Mode, which shutdowns unnecessary applications to run games faster. It also minimizes computational processes that interfere with the gaming app.
PCMag, a leading digital publisher, has done extensive benchmarks to show the benefits of gaming on Windows 11. Tech journalist reports that you can gain up to 7.9% in performance in specific titles, which is worth noting. These results are nothing spectacular, but it's a good sign if you were worried about dropping performance in games.
Regular Updates
It’s kind of a drawback and advantage; it depends on the point of view. Regular updates usually make the system run faster, but it also messes up parameters that are set for the games.
It means all options are set back to default, and you have to manage them all over again. But if you’re not a streamer and you don’t upload gaming videos regularly, it shouldn’t bother you at all.
Compatibility With Older Games
Sometimes we want to step aside from the newest eSports titles to delve back into our favorite games built in the past. The new OS had some problems running older titles at launch, but now everything works as it should. Current Windows works flawlessly with classic games, so your GoG library won’t waste with the newer system.
Windows 11 System Requirements
- Processor: 1 GHz or faster with two or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or system on a chip (SoC).
- RAM: 4GB or more.
- Storage: 64 GB or greater available storage is required to install Windows 11.
- Graphics Card: Compatible with DirectX 12 or later, with a WDDM 2.0 driver.
- System firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable.
- Display: High definition (720p) display, 9" or greater monitor, 8 bits per color channel.
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Internet connection: Internet connectivity is necessary to perform updates and download additional features.
- Windows 11 requires an Internet connection and a Microsoft Account to complete device setup on first use.
FAQ
Is Windows 11 Good for Gaming?
Definitely, Windows 11 relies on entirely new code, thus improving performance and graphics thanks to new features such as DirectStorage or Auto-HDR.
Will Installing Windows 11 Impact My Performance?
It’s quite the opposite. Windows 11, with its new features, should give you higher frame rates, resulting in much smoother gameplay on the same hardware. However, it's always best to do a fresh install instead of an upgrade for the best results.
Can I Upgrade to Windows 11 for Free?
You will get a free upgrade from your current Windows 10 install. Simply use the official Windows 11 Media Creation Tool to create a bootable Pendrive or DVD image.
Summary: Which Windows 11 Version is Best for Gaming?
We’ve broken down every version of Windows 11 and demonstrated this is the best OS yet for gaming. Which one should you choose? It all comes down to your personal needs.
We recommend using Pro if you need a good working station, although Home is excellent if you’re a regular user. They all benefit from gaming features, including Game Mode, Xbox App, and Auto HDR.
At RoyalCDKeys, we offer competitive prices for all Windows 11 versions. It’s the best possible place to acquire the newest Microsoft system if you don’t own a Windows 10 to use a free upgrade. Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro are both available for purchase. We hope this article helped you decide which version to pick for yourself. Cheers!