Windows 7: Which Edition is Right For You?

04.02.2009
has confirmed the existence of six separate versions. That's two more editions than Windows Vista's four, thanks to the addition of a barebones "Windows 7 Starter" and a split of the typical Windows "business" model into both Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Enterprise editions.

Confused? Here's a full breakdown of Windows 7 shipped editions, ordered by complexity:

Windows 7 Starter

Lacks: , the ability to run more than three simultaneous programs at once*, , full mobility capabilities

Available: Emerging markets only, only installed on OEM-specific machines and limited to certain kinds of hardware

*Ignores background applications like file backup utilities, but will trigger if you actually open up the backup program