Windows 10 changed the game for Microsoft when first launched back in 2015. By unifying interfaces across devices and restoring popular tools like the Start menu, Windows 10 led to over 1.3 billion active monthly devices as of March 2022 according to Microsoft.
But within Windows 10 there exist separate editions tailored towards consumers, students, enterprises and more. This guides focuses on the two flagship versions for business use – Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise. They share common functionality for organizations, yet Enterprise boasts advanced features for complex IT environments.
We will compare the key capabilities around:
- Management and security
- Licensing costs
- Suitable business sizes
to determine which edition fits a company‘s needs. First some background on each version…
History of Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise Releases
Windows 10 Pro debuted on July 29, 2015 alongside Windows 10 for consumers. Microsoft positioned Windows 10 Pro as offering enhanced tools for small businesses stepping up from basic home editions.
Early reviews praised Windows 10 Pro features like device encryption, facial authentication via Windows Hello, remote log-in through Virtual Private Networks (VPN) and ability to join corporate domains for centralized user account management.
Within one year, over 75 million devices were already running some form of Windows 10. And as of 2022, Windows 10 commands a dominating 73.5% market share making it the world‘s most-used desktop operating system according to StatCounter.
Windows 10 Enterprise released the very same day as Windows 10 Pro in July 2015. However, Enterprise was made available exclusively to large organizations via one of Microsoft‘s volume licensing programs rather than general retail.
This allowed companies managing hundreds or thousands of PCs along with sensitive data to tap into Enterprise‘s advanced security, management and customization features crafted explicitly for complex IT environments.
So while Windows 10 Pro focused on typical small business needs out the gate, Windows 10 Enterprise catered to the world‘s most demanding enterprise-scale requirements right from the start.
But what exactly sets these two apart? Let‘s compare some of the key differentiators across areas important to businesses…
Management and Monitoring
While both editions provide fundamentals like mobile device management, Windows 10 Enterprise pulls far ahead in monitoring and administering all devices and users across an organization:
| Capability | Windows 10 Pro | Windows 10 Enterprise |
|---|---|---|
| Azure integration | Read data from Azure services | Enhanced support through Azure Analytics |
| Updates | Limited group policy control | Extensive control over deployment schedules |
| App licensing | tracks apps requiring licenses | Automate app license deployments across enterprise |
For example, using Azure Analytics Windows 10 Enterprise can natively ingest device diagnostic data from all endpoints to quickly pinpoint infrastructure health issues such as corrupt registry keys effecting 100s of PCs.
Advanced tools like these enable enterprise IT teams to securely configure policies, updates, and settings in a scalable way Windows 10 Pro cannot match out-the-box.
Security Capabilities
Protecting sensitive company information is non-negotiable for any business. All versions of Windows 10 incorporate robust encryption, malware protection, firewalls and authentication mechanisms leveraging biometrics.
But Windows 10 Enterprise takes security to the next level by hardening the OS against sophisticated cyber attacks targeting large enterprise targets:
| Feature | Windows 10 Pro | Windows 10 Enterprise |
|---|---|---|
| Threat protection | Windows Defender Antivirus | Adds Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) with proactive threat hunting |
| Data controls | BitLocker drive encryption | Adds Windows Information Protection for file labeling + tracking sensitive docs |
| Access governance | Standard user permissions | Enhanced administrator role delegation + privileged access management |
For example Windows Defender ATP goes far beyond traditional anti-virus by actively monitoring network activity to detect unusual access requests and process behavior that signals advanced malware. Security operations centers get instant alerts to emerging threats even before software signatures are triggered.
These enterprise-grade controls lock down potential attack surfaces and provide actionable intelligence to swiftly respond to incidents – critical for any organization handling valuable IP, customer data or financial information.
Supporting Multiple Users
Collaborative multi-user environments are common in modern workplaces enabling employees to be productive from any device.
Windows 10 Pro lets admins easily switch between defined user profiles stored locally on each machine. This allows workers to retain personalized settings and preferences as they share devices.
Expanding on this concept, Windows 10 Enterprise gives IT extensive options to standardized shared systems, port users profiles across hardware and secure access in innovative ways:
| Function | Windows 10 Pro | Windows 10 Enterprise |
|---|---|---|
| Portability | Locally stored user profiles | Roaming user profiles on network |
| Lockdown | Assigned access limiting launched apps | Adds sandbox containerization |
| Isolation | N/A | Windows Virtual Desktop isolates sessions |
Using Windows Virtual Desktop, companies can completely isolate each employee session in the cloud while providing persistent Windows 10 environment containing all apps, data and settings that follow the user – streamable to any client device safely across the internet.
While small teams swapping desks can leverage Windows 10 Pro, large enterprises with increasing mobility demands depend on Windows 10 Enterprise capabilities like these.
Comparing License Costs
An important point of differentiation between Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise is not just tools and features, but how each edition is purchased.
| Edition | Licensing Model | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 Pro | Individual device licenses | Around $200 per new license. Volume discounts available. |
| Windows 10 Enterprise | Subscription volume licensing | From $100 – $300 per user per year including management tools, upgrades and support. |
At first glance, Windows 10 Pro seems more affordable only requiring a one-time fixed license fee per PC or laptop. However, costs compound quickly when purchasing licenses piecemeal as company growth adds more employees and endpoints.
Conversely, Windows 10 Enterprise uses contractual subscription-based licensing where organizations pay yearly fees based on number of total users rather than individual devices. This unified approach simplifies license management as the company scales while bundling together all necessary capabilities.
Here is a comparison of potential 3-year costs for a 100 employee business adding 50 staff yearly:
| Year | 1 | 2 | 3 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 Pro |
|
|
|
$72,000 |
| Windows 10 Enterprise |
|
|
|
$54,000 |
Despite the lower yearly costs, Windows 10 Enterprise ends up over 25% cheaper than continuously purchasing individual Pro licenses over time – and without increasing IT management overhead.
These examples demonstrate why subscription licensing makes Windows 10 Enterprise the most cost-effective approach to equip growing business long-term.
Which Businesses Are Ideal Candidates?
We‘ve covered a gamut of considerations around pricing, security, features, management. This leads to the key question – which version should a company actually utilize?
| Edition | Best Suited For |
|---|---|
| Windows 10 Pro | Small businesses managing <50 devices without complex needs. Basic functionality at low license cost. |
| Windows 10 Enterprise | Large enterprises managing 500+ devices. Requires advanced controls, customization and subscription value. |
The "sweet spot" for Windows 10 Pro are small firms running essential workloads which prioritize upfront affordability. The premium capabilities of Windows 10 Enterprise tailored for enormous multi-national companies becomes overkill.
On the other hand, Windows 10 Enterprise empowers organizations where scale, global complexity and business critical IT systems necessitate maximum control and security. If managing thousands of endpoint and users across the globe securely – Enterprise is likely the smartest fit.
Making the Optimal Business Windows 10 Decision
Choosing whether to adopt Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise requires careful examination of your company‘s current and future IT environment analysis along the following dimensions:
Current device count – How many endpoint devices like PCs, servers, laptops need supporting today? If less than 50 units, additional Enterprise features may not provide immediate value.
Growth trends – Is your workforce and infrastructure expanding quickly? Do you anticipate doubling or tripling in size within a few years? If so, factoring robust scalability now through Enterprise version guards against outgrowing basic Pro capabilities.
Data sensitivity – Does you business manage substantial intellectual property, customer information, financial records or other confidential assets? More rigorous Enterprise security tools may be a wise investment against rising data breach levels.
Budget flexibility – Can existing IT budgets adapt to allow potentially greater upfront costs of per-device licensing today relative to long-term subscription fees?
Asking these strategic questions even smaller firms even if fundamentally desktop-based helps assess total lifecycle ownership costs and prevent surprise scaling expenses down the road.
Of course every company‘s situation differs too – there are no absolute definitive answers fitting all. This guide simply aims to educate Windows 10 business edition buyers on real-world pros and cons before committing one way or another.
Summary – Enterprise Security and Value Outweigh Pro Affordability
Windows 10 Enterprise simply provides vastly greater features and future-proofing growing enterprises require over Windows 10 Pro. Superior security protections, user experience customization and streamlined subscription licensing deliver compelling advantages managing complexity at scale.
However, smaller companies may realistically not benefit whatsoever from Enterprise specializations enough to justify perpetual annual fees. In these cases, Windows 10 Pro supplies complete business functionality affordably.
Carefully analyzing your organization‘s size, growth objectives and IT pain points reveals which edition truly aligns best. With research and planning, both Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise can empower businesses to digitally transform efficiently.
