Why are laptops sold without an operating system?

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Why are laptops sold without an operating system?

laptops, operating, sold, System

We are currently in a difficult economic situation, with the prices of everything continuing to climb. This makes us look to save every penny we can, to avoid going over the budget we have. If you go to buy a laptopa good option to save, is to acquire one no operating system

We can find a large number of laptops (and desktop computers) on the market that do not have an operating system. The reason for this commercial label is that the equipment is cheaper than if it runs on Windows 10 or Windows 11. Let’s say we save the license, which generally makes the product between 100-200 dollars more expensive, which is a lot.

What does it mean that the laptop has no operating system?

The first thing you need to know is that even if you see the label no operating system will actually have one. settles down by laptop manufacturers operating system wording FreeDOS. It may not seem like much to you and it is basically a free and open source version of Windows MS-DOS. It works through commands, without a GUI and logically it’s not something we’re interested in using.

The reason why this software is added is that the manufacturers of laptops cannot be sold “empty”. All laptop manufacturers have a agreement with Microsoft for do not sell equipment without an operating system. It doesn’t have to be a Windows distribution, but some have a carry and the the majority go for FreeDOS. This is what we use and not a Linux distribution like Ubuntu for example, because it is easier to install and to encourage the user to buy a Windows license.

freedos operating system

We must bear in mind that a The Windows commercial license costs between 100 and 200 dollars, so that makes the laptop much more expensive. This implies a significant additional cost that we can save because it is unnecessary. Currently, Microsoft offers us Windows 10 and also Windows 11 for free. We will simply have a watermark in the lower right corner.

You may be thinking that if Microsoft allows install windows without licenseWhy don’t laptop manufacturers do this? Obviously, Microsoft does not allow it and he either wants to buy a license or the user gets his life back. Thus, they choose to authorize the installation of FreeDOS, seeking to encourage the purchase of portable computers with Windows.

laptop without operating system

How much can I save?

Microsoft sells manufacturers of desktop and laptop clones a license called OEM. This license is sold in large lots (thousands) and is used for a very specific computer. These OEM licenses verify the hardware (components of a computer) and record component baseline data. Thus, if the customer changes a part (in theory) he will no longer be able to continue using the Windows license he had.

OEM licenses usually cost 5 to 10 dollars, purchased in large quantities. So why does the laptop charge me for the license at the normal price? Well, that’s another Microsoft requirement to avoid savagely breaking the market and becoming the competition. OEM licenses are intended to limit the user’s ability to upgrade their equipment.

Currently, we can find licenses of this type all over the Internet, even on Amazon. If we are going to have the computer for many years, there is no problem buying an OEM license and saving over 100 dollars. The computer will work perfectly and we will receive the corresponding updates, without any problem.

You can also use Windows without activating. There is almost no difference between using licensed and unlicensed Windows 10 or Windows 11. It just enables some secondary functions and features that are disabled by default. We will be able to use the laptop normally, access the Internet or play games, but not adjust the appearance of Windows and other minor settings.

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