# Windows XP: Pro vs. Home **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 6, 2005, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-pro-vs-home/302647 "2005-05-06T05:01:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![odaran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e0b2c6/32.png) [@odaran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/odaran)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-pro-vs-home/302647/1 "2005-05-06T05:01:32Z")
I read the sticky and did not see this question in there. I also did not find anything about this in a search. What is the real differences between Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition. The reason I ask is because I was planning to upgrade mine and my wife’s PCs but can get a better deal through Dell than buying the parts seperately. (I know about propritary parts but I am not worried about that right now). I need to know this because I need to understand the differences in order to decide if I I want to pay the extra 79 bucks for the Pro. I have no intention of going to linux because my programming skills stopped at BASIC and command line skills at MS-DOS. I will need to have AOL installed on these PCs, if that makes a difference in my decsion. I also have them connected to a 4 port router in order to share a DSL connection. Thank you all in advance. FYI It is one in the morning here and I have been up 20 hours straight so please excuse spelling and grammer. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-pro-vs-home/302647/2 "2005-05-06T05:36:25Z")
Microsoft compares —\> [http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.mspx](http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/howtobuy/choosing2.mspx) Another view —\> [http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp\_home\_pro.asp](http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/windowsxp_home_pro.asp) If this were IMHO, I would go for XP Pro. Why AOL? If all you require is an ISP, there are better ones out there. ---
**Author:** ![SiouxChief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@SiouxChief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiouxChief)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-pro-vs-home/302647/3 "2005-05-06T06:05:27Z")
You won’t have a problem using AOL with either XP Home or XP Pro. For most applications they are essentially the same. The differences **Duckster** listed can be very important to consider for a technical person, but for the average user Home Edition is fine. My wife’s computer runs XP Home Edition and she has never had a need for anything more. She mainly uses word processing, web, and email. My computer runs XP Professional because I need IIS for web development. If this were IMHO, I’d say “Get a [Mac](http://www.apple.com/imac/)” ---
**Author:** ![RandomLetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8edcca/32.png) [@RandomLetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandomLetters)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-pro-vs-home/302647/4 "2005-05-06T11:21:57Z")
For most people, Home will be just fine. The main difference between Pro and Home are some advanced networking features, most useful in a corporate enviroment. Other than that, they are pretty much the same. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-xp-pro-vs-home/302647/5 "2005-05-06T13:50:55Z")
If this were IMHO, I’d say, too, to get a Mac. But… I also do keep and maintain a Windows machine. I’m not sure what for yet – maybe just for Punch! Pro and a DVD subtitle tool that I like. 🙂 Anyhow, my _next_ Windows machine will be dual-core or dual-processor, in which case, XP Home is out of the game by default. Just keep that in mind if you decide not to get the Dell, dude.