| Features |
Windows RT |
Windows 8* |
Windows 8 Pro |
Windows 8 Enterprise |
|
Maximum physical memory |
ARM limit |
4 / 128 GB |
4** GB (x86) / 512 GB (x64) |
| Instant start (hybrid shutdown) |
Features common
to
ALL editions of
Windows 8 |
| UEFI secure boot |
| GPT > 2 TB boot
partition |
| Picture password |
| Start Screen + Live Tiles + Snap |
| Windows Store Sandboxed apps |
| Semantic Zoom |
| Touch & Thumb keyboard |
Ribbonized File Explorer &
file transfer management |
| File History |
| Refresh and
Reset of OS |
| "Play To" devices |
| Connected standby |
| Better multi-monitor
support |
| New Windows Task Manager |
| ISO image and
VHD mounting |
| Mobile broadband features |
| Microsoft account
integration |
| 2x IE10: modern & desktop |
| SmartScreen (file checker) |
| Xbox Live (incl. Arcade) |
| Exchange ActiveSync
(EAS) |
| VPN client |
| Traditional Desktop |
Very Limited |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
| Executables Supported |
Store
apps only |
Windows Store + desktop apps
(x86/x64) |
| Remote Desktop (RDP) |
Client only |
Client only |
Client & host |
Client & host |
|
Storage Spaces
software-defined storage
|
|
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
| Windows Media Player |
|
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
| Windows Media Center |
|
n/a!! |
req.
Pro Pack |
n/a |
| Microsoft Office bundled |
✓ |
|
|
|
| Encryption features |
Device encryption |
n/a |
BitLocker and EFS |
| Boot from VHD |
|
|
✓ |
✓ |
| Domain join |
|
|
✓ |
✓ |
| Local Group Policy (GPedit.msc) |
|
|
✓ |
✓ |
| Hyper-V |
|
|
x64 only, req. SLAT CPU & mb |
|
VirtualPC is no longer supported in all editions |
| Offline
Files |
|
|
✓ |
✓ |
|
Sideload
in-house modern apps |
Partial |
n/a |
req. Enterprise Sideloading key |
| AppLocker |
|
|
|
✓ |
| Windows To Go |
|
|
|
✓ |
| DirectAccess |
|
|
|
✓ |
| BranchCache |
|
|
|
✓ |
| virtualized by
RemoteFX |
|
|
|
✓ |
| Services for NFS |
|
|
|
✓ |
*the moniker "home premium/basic edition" has been drop. It's now
simply known as Windows 8--AKA Windows 8 Core (unofficial)
in some tech circles.
**In reality, 4 GB limit really means something close to 3.1 GB due to
the upper gigabyte region being allocated to ROM and other I/O purposes.