Most PC users are familiar with Windows 10 Home, Professional, and Enterprise editions. But some laptop manufacturers, including Lenovo, are now shipping their PCs with Windows 10 Signature Edition. So what exactly is Windows 10 Signature Edition? Is it a new version of Windows, a revised version, or an entirely different thing? Here’s everything you need to know about Microsoft’s Windows 10 Signature Edition.
Windows 10 Signature Edition Explained
A typical boxed computer that you buy from retail stores comes bundled with crapware, spyware, toolbars, antivirus programs, games, and other unwanted programs that occupy a significant portion of your hard drive. These programs may display pop-up notifications at regular intervals prompting the user to either subscribe or buy the premium version. At worst, these extra utilities can slow down your PC due to the hidden processes that run in the background. The reason new PCs come bundled with the junk programs is that manufacturers earn more by installing trial versions of games and other unwanted trialware. Enter the world of Windows 10 Signature Edition. Microsoft Signature Editions seek to remove the crapware pain by delivering clean, fast and optimized PCs. Computers that ship with Windows 10 Signature Edition don’t come bundled with any additional software. This means you get the real experience of pure Windows 10.
Microsoft also claims that Signature Edition PCs have a longer battery life, owing to a clean Windows. Apart from this, there is no other difference between the Signature Edition and the regular editions of Windows 10. However, the Signature edition versions of Windows 10 tend to cost a little more than the regular editions.
A Clean PC at a Competitive Price
All Signature Edition PCs ship with Windows Defender – Windows-owned antivirus software – rather than the time-limited free trial for third-party antivirus programs. For just a few dollars more than you’d pay for a laptop from Lenovo, Dell, Asus and other manufacturers, Microsoft offers a clean version of the same notebook that has been optimized for performance. You can buy Signature Edition PCs in any physical Microsoft Store. And if you are wary that a Lenovo laptop purchased through Microsoft might still have Superfish installed, you’ll be glad to know that Windows Defender is now enabled to remove it.
Should You Buy a Signature Edition PC?
Let’s face it – no one wants to contend with the huge annoyance that comes with having to deal with the ridiculous amount of crapware that comes with a new laptop. From the limited trials of McAfee to useless apps and advertisement-laden software that push pop-up notifications from time to time. If you are tech savvy, you probably know of programs like PC Decrapifier or Revo Uninstaller that you can use to get rid of most of the pre-installed junk. But even with the right tools, let’s not forget that it’s time-consuming and involves a lot of work to remove some of these programs. To save you the trouble of having to contend with all of the crapware, you might want to consider buying a clean laptop from the nearest Microsoft store.
Wrapping Up
By offering Windows 10 Signature Editions versions, Microsoft has done a stellar job at improving user experience and enhancing the security of their products. However, laptop manufacturers continue to bundle new laptops with crapware and other junk programs that users might never use. Do you think laptop manufacturers should be held accountable for the software they pre-install on new computers? Let us hear your thoughts in the comments section below.
