{"slug":"windows-11-home-vs-windows-11-pro","question":"Windows 11 Home vs Windows 11 Pro for a Gaming PC","answer":"For a gaming PC, Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro use the same minimum hardware requirements Microsoft lists for Windows 11. Pro extras such as BitLocker, Remote Desktop hosting, Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, Group Policy, and domain or Microsoft Entra ID join are features you turn on, not a separate gaming specification. Get Pro if you need one of those features, or if the two cost the same from Microsoft or an authorized retailer. Otherwise Home is enough, and you can upgrade an activated copy of Home to Pro later in the Microsoft Store.","answer_curated":true,"verdict":"Gamer: Home is enough unless you need a Pro feature, or Home and Pro cost the same from Microsoft or an authorized retailer. Microsoft lists one set of minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11.\n\nHome user: Home. Microsoft's edition comparison marks Device encryption on Home. Microsoft Support says Device Encryption can turn on when you sign in with a Microsoft account, on hardware that supports it.\n\nRemote work or IT: Pro. Microsoft Support says the PC you connect to must run a Pro edition. Microsoft's comparison marks Group Policy and domain join on Pro.\n\nDeveloper running virtual machines: Pro. Microsoft Learn says Hyper-V cannot be installed on Windows 11 Home, and Windows Sandbox is not supported on Windows Home.\n\nNeither edition is the right pick for every PC.","keyDifferences":[{"label":"Minimum hardware","entityAValue":"Microsoft's Windows 11 minimum","entityBValue":"Microsoft's Windows 11 minimum","winner":"tie"},{"label":"Personal setup","entityAValue":"Internet and a Microsoft account","entityBValue":"Internet and a Microsoft account","winner":"tie"},{"label":"Device encryption","entityAValue":"Marked for Home","entityBValue":"Marked for Pro","winner":"tie"},{"label":"BitLocker device encryption","entityAValue":"Unmarked for Home","entityBValue":"Marked for Pro","winner":"tie"},{"label":"Remote Desktop host","entityAValue":"Client only","entityBValue":"Can be the remote PC","winner":"tie"}],"winner":null,"confidence":"high","entities":[{"name":"Windows 11 Home","slug":"windows-11-home","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/entity/windows-11-home","alternativesUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/alternatives/windows-11-home"},{"name":"Windows 11 Pro","slug":"windows-11-pro","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/entity/windows-11-pro","alternativesUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/alternatives/windows-11-pro"}],"faqs":[{"question":"Is Windows 11 Pro better than Home for gaming?","answer":"No. Games run the same on both editions. Pro adds business and power-user features such as BitLocker, Remote Desktop hosting, Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox, none of which raise frame rates."},{"question":"Does Windows 11 Pro use more system resources than Home?","answer":"Microsoft lists the same minimum hardware requirements for both editions. Pro-only features like Hyper-V and Windows Sandbox are optional features that you have to turn on."},{"question":"Can I set up Windows 11 Pro without a Microsoft account?","answer":"Not for personal use. Microsoft says Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro for personal use both need an internet connection and a Microsoft account during initial setup."}],"attribution":{"source":"A Versus B","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/windows-11-home-vs-windows-11-pro","license":"CC BY 4.0","citationFormat":"According to A Versus B (https://www.aversusb.net/compare/windows-11-home-vs-windows-11-pro), For a gaming PC, Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro use the same minimum hardware requirements Microsoft lists for Windows 11. Pro extras such as BitLocker, Remote Desktop hosting, Hyper-V, Windows Sa","dateModified":"2026-11-05T00:00:00.000Z"},"relatedQuestionsUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/faq/windows-11-home-vs-windows-11-pro","relatedComparisonsUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/v1/related/windows-11-home-vs-windows-11-pro","knowledgeGraphUrl":"https://www.aversusb.net/api/knowledge-graph/windows-11-home-vs-windows-11-pro"}