When building a gaming PC, you usually have to set aside a budget for a Windows 11 license. Sure, you can game on Linux, but many prefer to enjoy the best PC games on a Windows PC. But a deal through HRK discounts a Windows 11 Pro licence to $5.99. That's a 97% savings and practically makes Windows 11 free, at least when compared to the price of other PC components.
HRK is an online retailer with over 20,000 pieces of software available at a discount. Deals vary depending on when you browse the store, but they don't expire. That means that even if you miss the discount that brings Windows 11 Pro to $5.99, you can still get a license for less than retail cost. HRK also has deals on games and software from Steam, Uplay, Origin, Battle.net, Xbox, GOG, and PSN.
Windows 11 for gaming
Windows 11 is in an interesting state right now. The operating system has been around since October 2021 but people haven't adopted it as quickly as expected. Recent figures show that over 70% of desktop users in the world run Windows 10, not Windows 11. But that trend does not hold true for gamers.
Over 45% of Steam users run Windows 11, and that figure grows each month. Just in April 2024, Windows 11's market share among Steam gamers went up 3.54%.
A variety of factors contribute to PC gamers adopting Windows 11 at a quicker rate than general users. Whether someone builds a PC for gaming or purchases a gaming PC, there's a good chance that system requires a sizeable investment. Those who pay for quality hardware want the latest software as well, which in the case of a PC OS is Windows 11.
READ MORE: Windows 11 Home vs Pro
Windows 11 has several gaming features, including DirectStorage and AutoHDR. Support for the latest CPUs and DirectX 12 Ultimate are also key. But it's worth noting Windows 10 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, DirectStorage, and AutoHDR.
Another factor when it comes to Windows 11 vs Windows 10 is that the latter reaches its end of support in October 2025. With that cutoff meaning the end of security updates and support (unless you pay quite a bit), it's worth upgrading to Windows 11 on your gaming rig at some point over the next year or so.
New installs only
The HRK listing clearly states that "this version of Windows works only on newly installed Windows. If you purchase this version, you will need to re-install your Windows. (This product cannot be used to upgrade your system from another version!)." That means you can't use this deal to upgrade a PC from Windows 11 Home to Windows 11 Pro. You also can't use the deal to upgrade from older versions of Windows.
If you're building a gaming PC in 2024, you probably already know if you're going to grab Windows 11. It's just a matter of how much it will cost you. A deal that gets you Windows 11 for $5.99 is about as low as you'll see.
