Windows 11 Pro is finally cheap enough that you don't have to steal it in this limited-time deal

In a rare display of generosity, you can buy Windows 11 Pro for only $39.99 at Stack Social and receive a license key from a legitimate Microsoft Partner with no danger of deactivations or other issues with dubious codes. Windows 11 Home is $39.99, too, but since it's the same price, there aren't many reasons to skip Professional. Those who prefer the previous generation can get Windows 10 Pro for $39.99, but you'll miss the latest upgrades to Microsoft's operating system.

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Which version of Windows is right for me?

Deals on Windows 11 Pro at Windows Central generated by AI — Santa has you on his 'good' list and is bringing the joy of Windows 11. (Image credit: Windows Central | Bing Image Creator)

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Usually, I steer people toward Windows 11 Home for two reasons. It's cheaper, and most of the features found in Windows 11 Professional wouldn't be missed by your average PC user. However, it's impossible to make the same argument when they're both the same price.

Our Windows Expert digs into the difference between Home and Pro, and Mauro points out specifics like how Home supports up to 128GB of RAM while Pro supports up to 2TB of RAM, which is a little more than excessive for a home desktop.

Regarding gaming, either will perform the same since both offer the latest software and modern DirectX driver support for the latest visual luxuries. If you plan to build a computer exclusively for gaming, Windows 11 Home is usually plenty, but springing for Pro wouldn't hurt at this price.

For those stuck in the previous generation, we still offer a guide on how to tell if Windows 10 Home or Pro is right for you if you're tempted to spring for the Professional license. Still, I recommend buying Windows 11 and keeping up with the latest additions. Microsoft is making it easier to enable nearby sharing in a Beta test. It will soon ship the feature to all users as one of the many quality-of-life improvements that come with keeping Windows 11 updated.

Ben is a Senior Editor at Windows Central, covering everything related to technology hardware and software. He regularly goes hands-on with the latest Windows laptops, components inside custom gaming desktops, and any accessory compatible with PC and Xbox. His lifelong obsession with dismantling gadgets to see how they work led him to pursue a career in tech-centric journalism after a decade of experience in electronics retail and tech support.

2 Comments Comment from the forums

GraniteStateColin

Has Windows Central vetted this? Last year, Windows Central posted a similar note for Windows at the same price (way below what MS sells them for, so I believe this must be the same -- there is no way a legit license is available this cheap), turned out they were pirated illegal licenses that didn't work. I applied the license to upgrade a Windows 11 Home -> Pro, which then reported it had an invalid license. After hours on the phone with MS and HP, I eventually had to pay full price to MS to buy a Pro license (in addition to the wasted $39.99 the fraudulent seller), because there's no way to revert back to an old Home license.

Of course, if this is a valid license, then it's a great price and worth buying. Just that past experience says these are a scam, however valid they may look. If the price is below what MS sells it for, how can it be a real offer?
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naddy69

"Enjoy the full range of Windows 11 Professional features, including Hyper-V visualization for virtual machines".

Proofread much?

I paid $25 including tax at Bleeping Computer for my Windows 11 Pro license on a Black Friday deal. It is now also $40.

I installed Windows 11 Arm on my new 16" Apple Silicon MacBook Pro with 12 CPUs, 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD. It installed and activated just fine in VMware Fusion 13.5, which is free for personal use. I am typing this in Windows 11 Pro.

My "Windows 11 PC" is a VM on my Mac. For $25. It is also very fast with 6 CPUs, 10 GB RAM and 256GB storage. All of which can be increased if I need more power, which is unlikely.

"If the price is below what MS sells it for, how can it be a real offer?"

My guess is because MS is desperate to get more people running Windows 11. Other articles here state that there are only around 400 million Windows 11 PCs and still over 1 billion Windows 10 PCs. Which is probably due to no businesses are running Windows 11 yet. Windows 10 is still The Standard.

I also got Office 2021 for Windows and Office 2021 for Mac, both for around $45 each on the same Black Friday deal. Both are installed, activated and running fine. These are now $70 each.

Life is good.
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