I asked ASUS about "Windows 11 pure OS" spotted in its laptop announcement — Here's what it really means (and why you shouldn't get excited)

ASUS revealed a new ExpertBook B5 G2 business laptop this week, and in the press release was an interesting tidbit regarding operating systems.

Our friends at TechRadar were among the first to notice that ASUS lists a "Windows 11 pure OS (not for open channel)" option under its operating system choices, right alongside Windows 11 Pro, Home, and Pro with Driver WHQL support.

With no other reference to this version of Windows 11 in the new ExpertBook's marketing documents, we were left to surmise exactly what it could mean. I reached out to ASUS to get an official explanation.

According to ASUS, Windows 11 pure OS is a clean installation of Windows 11 that does not include any third-party apps or ASUS software. As an example, ASUS says that even its MyASUS control app is absent.

As most people, including our colleagues at TechRadar, guessed, Windows 11 pure OS is made for the enterprise and public sectors. More specifically, it's aimed at tender and Request for Proposal (RFP) processes.

ASUS points out that it also offers the ExpertBook with no OS installed at all, which suits those organizations that might wish to deploy their own image in order to "maintain existing education or enterprise licensing agreements."

Unfortunately, that means that regular buyers don't have an option to load this stripped-back version of Windows 11 onto a consumer laptop when they order from ASUS. It's the same sort of setup that Dell, Lenovo, and HP also offer for their enterprise customers.

What is the ASUS ExpertBook B5 G2?

ASUS says its new ExpertBook B5 G2 is "built with enterprise flexibility at its core," and a big part of that is offering the Windows 11 pure OS option that makes IT deployment and internal compliance a lot easier.

Delving into the laptop's specs, it's a rather sleek notebook running on Intel's latest Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" mobile chips. It's available with up to a Core Ultra 7 366H CPU with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) capable of 50 TOPS. That puts it into Copilot+ range, with full compatibility for all of Windows 11's built-in AI tools.

ASUS offers both 14- and 16-inch display options, going up to a 2560x1600 (QHD+) resolution for both sizes. The smaller 14-inch model weighs in at just 3.0 pounds (1.38kg), while the 16-inch model hits 3.9 pounds (1.79kg).

As expected from a business laptop, it comes with MIL-STD-810H durability certification and a ton of extra security features.

ASUS has not announced availability or pricing for the ExpertBook B5 G2. You can check out the official product page at ASUS, where you can also sign up for notifications.

What do you think about the new ExpertBook B5 G2?

Interested in what a "Windows 11 pure OS install" would look like on your laptop? Have experience with this type of stripped-back version of Windows? Let me know in the comments section!

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