Windows 7 professional included. What versions of the Windows operating system are there? Which version to choose
Windows 7 was released for free sale in the fall of 2009 and has since become the most popular of all Microsoft operating systems. Let's try to figure out what innovations and improvements compared to its predecessors brought Windows 7 such popularity and love from numerous users around the world.
Improvements and innovations
Great gift for lovers latest technologies was the emergence of multi-touch control support. This technology allows you to control your laptop from touch screen movements of several fingers at the same time. In addition, it recognizes various user gestures, making operation simple and intuitive. Windows 7 is tightly integrated with driver manufacturers various devices. Thanks to this, users are relieved of the need to independently determine, search and install the necessary drivers; in most cases, the system will do this automatically.
Fans of older applications will be pleased with the compatibility mode with earlier operating systems, such as Windows XP. This means that users will be able to easily run games that were designed for previous versions Windows.
Part operating system Windows 7 includes a DirectX 11 installation package that supports a number of new technologies in graphics processing. Users now have the opportunity to fully enjoy the magnificent picture on the computer screen, which is created thanks to improved tessellation mode and support for new compute shaders, as well as expanded ability to render images in multiple threads.
Finally, high-quality work of the Windows media player built into the operating system has been realized Media Player, which this time received serial number 12. Previous versions of the program only reproduced limited quantity video formats, to improve performance, it was necessary to install a large number of codecs. Users did not like this approach, which is why they increasingly chose software from third-party manufacturers. IN latest version player, the list of supported video formats has been significantly expanded.
Windows 7 has received a modified, more convenient and functional taskbar. Now the panel displays only icons without labels, which allows you to fit many more applications on it at the same time. In addition, a “Collapse all windows” button has appeared on the panel.
It is now possible to manage the reserved disk space allocated for system recovery. The user can also determine what exactly should be restored - system settings, changed files, or all together.
Desktop gadgets in Windows 7 are no longer tied to a bar on the left side of the screen. The user can independently move them to any place convenient for him.
Windows 7 has expanded the list of fonts included by default. In addition, the fonts have been redesigned to display correctly various characters. The list of non-Latin fonts available to the user has been significantly expanded.
Aero interface, known to users from the previous version of the operating system Windows Vista, began to support several design options. It also adds new features that let you easily manage the location and size of windows on your desktop.
Safety
Windows 7 adds more security features personal computer. Now the user has access to the function of prohibiting the launch of individual applications using the AppLocker service. BitLocker encryption technology has undergone significant improvements and now allows you to encrypt information on removable media. The Windows Firewall has been significantly improved to notify the user when applications are blocked. Thanks to the DirectAccess function, it is now possible to establish a secure connection with remote server without user intervention.
Editorial
Windows 7 has six different editions, which differ in the set functionality and cost.
Initial version or Windows 7 Starter characterized by limited functionality, for example, it does not even allow you to change the picture on the desktop. This edition of the operating system is supplied exclusively in the OEM version and, as a rule, was pre-installed on laptops and netbooks.
The next edition is called Windows 7 Home Basic and also has a very limited set of capabilities. It does not support the proprietary interface Windows Aero and Multitouch technology, has little functionality when working with local networks. Designed for OEM sales and supplies to emerging markets.
The most popular versions were Windows 7 Professional and Home Premium. They are actively sold at retail, and are also pre-installed on a large number of computers assembled around the world. They support all the functions necessary for the average user; the functionality limitations affected only the segment necessary to work in large corporate networks and performing specific tasks.
The maximum range of capabilities is provided by the versions Windows 7 Ultimate and Enterprise. They are identical in functionality, but the first version is intended for retail sales, and the second for deliveries to corporate clients. Windows 7 Ultimate is the top version of the system, which includes absolutely all the features laid down by Microsoft developers.
Hardware requirements
To correctly install the operating system on the user’s computer, it must have the following: minimum characteristics:
- Processor with a frequency of at least 1 GHz;
- 1 gigabyte random access memory(2 gigabytes for 64-bit version);
- A video adapter with a capacity of at least 128 megabytes (required to enable the Aero interface) and DirectX9 support;
- 16 gigabytes of free hard disk space (20 gigabytes for the 64-bit version).
Windows 7 - Microsoft operating system Windows family NT officially released on October 22, 2009. The Windows 7 operating system has several editions that differ in functionality.
Windows 7 came out shortly after the release of the operating system Windows systems Vista, which was coolly received by users. Essentially new Windows 7 was a modified version of Windows Vista.
A few years later, in October 2012, Windows 7 was replaced by the Windows 8 operating system. Then, the Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 operating systems were released successively.
Despite the release of newer operating systems, the “Seven” still remains one of the most popular OS in the world. Only recently, the Windows 10 operating system, despite the possibility of free updates, was able to surpass Windows 7 in terms of the number of users in the world. At the present time, in Russia both operating systems are installed on approximately the same number of computers.
Microsoft announced that extended service will end on January 14, 2019. Windows support 7. Computers running Windows 7 will continue to work, but will no longer receive security updates or operating system patches.
In this article you will find a comparison Windows versions 7 between different editions of the operating system, which I collected in a table.
Windows 7 versions
The Windows 7 operating system has several editions aimed at performing different tasks. Some versions are intended for installation on desktop computers, laptops and netbooks by device manufacturers, the PC is sold with the operating system installed. Other editions are available for retail sale to users who independently install the system on their computer.
Windows 7 was released in 6 editions, differing from each other in their functionality:
- Windows 7 Starter - Windows 7 Initial;
- Windows 7 Home Basic - Windows 7 Home Basic;
- Windows 7 Home Premium - Windows 7 Home Premium;
- Windows 7 Professional - Windows 7 Professional;
- Windows 7 Enterprise - Windows 7 Enterprise;
- Windows 7 Ultimate - Windows 7 Maximum.
The Starter edition of Windows 7 was released in the OEM version (for installation on devices by product manufacturers) only in a 32-bit system. Other editions of Windows have 32 bit and 64 bit versions.
Older versions of Windows 7 have Windows mode XP Mode, which includes the Windows XP Professional operating system running on a Microsoft virtual machine.
Service Pack 1 was released for Windows 7; subsequently, the system received cumulative and cumulative updates, mainly related to computer security.
How to find out the version of Windows 7
If the user does not know which edition of Windows 7 is installed on his computer, there are several ways to obtain the necessary information. Read the article about this published on my website.
Here is one way to find out the edition of Windows 7:
- Go to the Start menu.
- Right-click on “Computer” and select “Properties” from the context menu.
- The View Basic Information about Your Computer window displays information about your Windows edition and some specifications PC.
Pay attention to the bitness of the operating system: 32-bit or 64-bit Windows. This may be needed when reinstalling the system, installing drivers, selecting programs of the appropriate bit depth, etc.
Windows 7 Starter
The Windows 7 Starter edition is designed for installation on netbooks. Quite a lot of functionality has been removed from the operating system in order to make it easier to use this edition on low-power computers.
The initial version is not intended for retail sale. The operating system is installed on the computer by assemblers or device manufacturers.
Windows 7 Home Basic
Windows 7 Home Basic is designed for home users with a basic set of features. This version of Windows lacks many additional multimedia features and tools for professional work.
The home base edition will be distributed in retail sales, and under an OEM license only in emerging markets, including Russia.
Windows 7 Home Premium
Windows 7 Home Premium is designed for home users. Unlike the Home Basic Edition, the Home Advanced Edition has Online Games, Windows Media Center, Windows DVD Maker for burning discs, full support for Windows Aero, and other useful features.
Perhaps the Home Premium version of Windows 7 is best suited for home use.
Windows 7 Professional
Windows 7 Professional is designed for use by small and medium businesses. This edition is sold in retail stores for ordinary users. This version of the operating system has the necessary functionality for running business applications, network printing, remote control, encryption file system and so on.
Windows 7 Enterprise
Windows 7 Enterprise released for corporate clients, for large companies. This version of the operating system is distributed only under a corporate license and is not sold at retail.
Most of the features of the enterprise edition will not be needed by home users, because they are mainly used in business processes.
Windows 7 Ultimate
Windows 7 Ultimate version has almost all the features of all other versions of the operating system. The maximum edition is sold in retail stores, so a copy of the OS can be purchased by a user who does not have financial problems.
This version of Windows 7 is suitable for use at work or at home, by those users who do not tolerate any compromises in terms of the capabilities of their computer's operating system.
Windows 7 comparison of editions: table
The summary table contains the main characteristics of all editions of Windows 7: Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 7 Ultimate.
This table has horizontal scrolling due to the fact that all columns do not fit the width of the article.
| Editorial | Windows 7 Starter | Windows 7 Home Basic | Windows 7 Home Premium | Windows 7 Professional | Windows 7 Ultimate | Windows 7 Enterprise | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distribution method | OEM licenses | Retail and OEM licenses | Retail and OEM licenses | Retail, OEM licenses, corporate licenses | Retail and OEM licenses | Corporate licenses | |||||
| Maximum physical memory (32-bit) | 2GB | 4GB | 4GB | 4GB | 4GB | 4GB | |||||
| Maximum physical memory (64-bit) | No | 8GB | 16 GB | 192GB | 192GB | 192GB | |||||
| 64-bit version | No | Yes, only in OEM version | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Number of physical processors | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |||||
| Windows Recovery Center | No domain support | No domain support | No domain support | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Home group | Join only | Join only | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Remote Desktop | Client only | Client only | Client only | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Multiple monitors | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Fast user switching | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Windows Aero | No | Basic theme | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Change background image desktop | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Desktop Window Manager | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Mobility Center | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Multi-touch support | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Online Games | No | No | Yes | Yes, disabled | Yes | Yes, disabled | |||||
| Windows Media Center | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Windows DVD Maker | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Parental control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Windows Defender | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Windows Firewall | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| EFS (Encrypting File System) | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Print based on network location | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Presentation Mode | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Joining a Windows Domain | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Windows XP Mode | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Software Restriction Policies | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| AppLocker | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | |||||
| BitLocker | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | |||||
| BitLocker To Go | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | |||||
| BranchCache | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | |||||
| DirectAccess | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Subsystem for UNIX applications | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Multilingual User Interface Pack | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Creating and connecting VHD | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Launching system snap-ins | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Conclusions of the article
The Windows 7 operating system has several editions, which, along with basic capabilities, differ in their functionality from each other. The table contains the main functions of all editions of the Windows 7 operating system: Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 7 Ultimate.
The Windows 7 operating system, by Microsoft, was presented in 6 editions. That is, there are six in total different versions Windows 7 OS. But how can you decide which version to choose among such a large number? You will learn about everything in order from this article. It's really simple!
So, to get started, here's a list, what versions of Windows 7 are there?:
Initial
Home Basic
Home Extended
Professional
Corporate
Maximum
Let's look at each in more detail, and only then draw a conclusion that will easily help you decide which version of Windows 7 to choose.
Windows 7 Starter
You won't find this version of Windows 7 on store shelves, as it is intended only for computer manufacturers. Manufacturers, in turn, install this version on the cheapest and lowest-power computers. In terms of functions, this version is the most limited: it does not have Aero effects, and it can only be 32-bit.
Windows 7 Home Basic
This version of Windows 7 also lacks some features, but it already has the Aero effect, with the exception of transparency and changing the desktop picture, and this version systems can be purchased. It is also worth mentioning that Windows 7 Home Basic does not play DVDs.
Windows 7 Home Premium
Windows 7 Home Premium is the most common version among home users. It fully supports multimedia, has full support for Aero effects, allows you to install it on tablet computers, and accordingly supports touch control.
Windows 7 Professional
It's like home extended, only it contains more more features, for example, remote control, encrypted file system and more. This version of Windows 7 is designed primarily for use by enterprises and small businesses.
Windows 7 Enterprise
This version of Windows, like the Starter version, is not intended for sale, but is provided to large enterprises and firms. This version provides additional features, which can be very useful to companies, firms, organizations: encryption of disks and removable media (flash drives, external hard disks), many languages, program control and much more, which is not particularly interesting for us.
Windows 7 Ultimate
In principle, this is the same corporate version of Windows 7, only already intended for sale. This is the most functional version of Windows, it has absolutely all the functions.
If you have a question, which Windows 7 to choose for home use, then the answer here is simple. I recommend choosing one of three versions of Windows 7.
Home extended.
Professional.
Maximum.
For most users, the first one from the list is suitable, that is, the Home Premium version of Windows 7. Since if you are planning to purchase a license, it will cost you much less. Why spend more money on Windows Maximum and then not use most of the functions. Well, then, decide for yourself!
I will conclude here, and if you are interested in the question, which is already installed on your computer, then refer to the corresponding lesson using the link in this sentence.
Good luck choosing the version of Windows 7 for your PC.
(NT 6.0)
Almost not used
Actively used
Almost not used
Almost not used
Actively used
Server Windows
| Logo | Version | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Not supported Generally not used |
||
| 1994 | |||
| 1995 | |||
| 1996 | |||
| 2000 | |||
| 2003 | Not supported Still in use |
||
| 2005 | |||
| 2008 | |||
| 2009 | Supported Actively used |
||
| 2012 | |||
| 2013 | |||
| 2016 | |||
| 2018 | Getting started |
All versions of Windows by line + chronology
| Ruler | Years | Listing versions |
|---|---|---|
| 16 bit | 1985 - 1995 | Windows 1 / 2 / 3 |
| 32 bits (9x) |
1995 - 2001 | Windows 95/98/ME |
| NT (32 and 64 bits) |
since 1993 | Windows NT 3.1 / NT 3.5 / NT 3.51 / NT 4.0 Workstation / 2000 / XP / Vista / 7 / 8 / 8.1 / 10 |
| NT Servers (32 and 64 bits) |
since 1993 | Windows NT 3.1 / NT 3.5 / NT 3.51 / NT 4.0 Server / 2000 Server / 2003 / 2003 R2 / 2008 / 2008 R2 / 2012 / 2012 R2 / 2016 / 2019 |
History of success
This success story reflects the frequency of use of the system; the number of glitches encountered by users; reviews.
| Windows 1 | Failure | |
| Windows 2 | Neutral | |
| Windows 3 | Success | |
| Windows 95 | Failure | |
| Windows 98 | Success | |
| Windows Millennium | Failure | |
| Windows 2000 | Neutral | |
| Windows XP | Big success | |
| Windows Vista | Failure | |
| Windows 7 | Success | |
| Windows 8 | Failure | |
| Windows 8.1 | Failure | |
| Windows 10 | Success |
* despite the failure of some versions of the operating system, they carried new functions that were transferred to already successful versions. For example, in the millennium there appeared beautiful icons and windows that migrated to Windows 2000. Therefore, failure should not be assessed as unsuccessful work.
Windows 1
Years of support: 1985 - 2001. Branch: 16 bit.
Editions: -
What's new
Before Windows 1 there was MS-DOS, so the most important innovation is GUI and the ability to control using the mouse.
System requirements
Windows 3
Years of support: 1990 - 2008. Branch: 16 bit.
Editions: -
What's new
- The first (from Microsoft) user-friendly interface.
- Appearance of the program manager.
- The emergence of multimedia capabilities.
- Network support (from 3.1).
System requirements
Windows NT 3.1
Editions: -
What's new
- The first system based on the NT kernel.
- File system support NTFS.
System requirements
| CPU | Intel 80386 |
|---|---|
| RAM | 2 MB |
| Volume hard drive | 8 MB |
Windows NT 3.5 Workstation
Editions: -
What's new
- Built-in support Winsock And TCP/IP.
- The appearance of a DHCP and WINS server and client.
- VFAT support.
System requirements
| CPU | 33 MHz |
|---|---|
| RAM | 12 MB |
| Hard disk capacity | 70 MB |
Windows NT 3.51 Workstation
Editions: -
System requirements
Windows NT 4.0 Workstation
Editions: -
System requirements
Windows 98
Years of support: 1998 - 2006. Branch: 9x (32 bits).
System requirements
Windows Millennium
Years of support: 2000 - 2006. Branch: 9x (32 bits).
System requirements
Windows 2000
Years of support: 2000 - 2010. Branch: NT.
System requirements
Windows XP
Editions: XP, XP Professional
System requirements
Windows Vista
Years of support: 2006 - 2017. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 32 and 64 bits.
Editions: Starter, Basic Home, Premium, Business, Enterprise, Ultimate
System requirements
Windows 7
Years of support: 2009 - 2020. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 32 and 64 bits.
Editions: Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise, Ultimate
System requirements
| Minimum | Featured | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | 32-bit | 64-bit | 32-bit | 64-bit |
| CPU | 1 GHz | |||
| RAM | 1 GB | 2 GB | 4 GB | |
| Hard disk capacity | 16 GB | 20 GB | 16 GB | 20 GB |
Windows 8
Years of support: 2012 - 2016. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 32 and 64 bits.
System requirements
| Minimum | Featured | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | 32-bit | 64-bit | 32-bit | 64-bit |
| CPU | 1 GHz | |||
| RAM | 1 GB | 2 GB | 4 GB | |
| Hard disk capacity | 16 GB | 20 GB | 16 GB | 20 GB |
Windows 8.1
Years of support: 2013 - 2023. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 32 and 64 bits.
Editions: 8, 8 Professional (Pro), 8 Corporate (Enterprise)
System requirements
| Minimum | Featured | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | 32-bit | 64-bit | 32-bit | 64-bit |
| CPU | 1 GHz | |||
| RAM | 1 GB | 2 GB | 4 GB | |
| Hard disk capacity | 16 GB | 20 GB | 16 GB | 20 GB |
Windows 10 (latest for personal computers)
Years of support: 2015 - 2025. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 32 and 64 bits.
Editions
- Home. For most home computers. There is no way to configure a remote desktop so that you can connect to the system remotely; no possibility to use group policies and joining a domain.
- Professional (Pro). Contains all the functions of the home version + the ability to join a domain, use group policies, and the ability to connect to a computer using a remote desktop.
- Corporate (Enterprise). Some features of the home version have been reduced. There is everything additional functions versions Pro + DirectAccess, AppLocker.
- S. Is a stripped down version; comes pre-installed on some devices. Does not support standard application installation - installation can only be done from the Windows Store.
What's new
Windows 10 is undergoing major changes with the release of new builds. Therefore, we will consider innovations based on this.
- Improved performance.
- New built-in browser Microsoft Edge.
- Automatically shrinks an adjacent window when the active window is pressed to one side of the desktop.
- All Apps in Start supports a display of 2,048 items (previously only 512).
- Forced installation of updates.
- Using virtual voice assistant Cortana.
- The updated start menu is a hybrid of previous versions and Windows 8 (returned old version opening, and tiles appeared on the right side).
- Ability to create multiple desktops.
- Refusal of the Windows 8 tiled system.
- Handwriting capability (Windows Ink).
- Identification using a webcam.
- Sync with mobile device notifications.
- Change the system settings menu.
- Built-in support for virtual reality headsets.
- Game Mode
- Offered by default command line in Powershell.
- Access to the classic Control Panel is hidden from the context menu. Now it can be called with the command control.
- Improved performance of the built-in antivirus.
- Identification using a webcam for Active Directory.
- Ability to create a screenshot with a selection of an area using the keyboard shortcut Win + Shaft + S.
- Braille support.
- Extended battery life.
- The ability to run Cortana on one device and stop working on another.
- Disable SMBv1 protocol. You can enable it manually.
- The People panel appears.
- Information about the GPU in the task manager.
- Microsoft Edge Full Screen Mode
- Extended battery life (Power Throttling function).
- The emoji panel appears.
- Selective OneDrive sync.
- Fixing a slowdown issue in games.
- Ability to recover your password using security questions.
- Dark theme for Explorer.
- Ability to access messages from your phone (“Your Phone” function).
- Insulated desktop for safe start applications.
* this list contains some innovations. Full list on the Wikipedia page.
System requirements
| Minimum | Featured | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | 32-bit | 64-bit | 32-bit | 64-bit |
| CPU | 1 GHz | |||
| RAM | 1 GB | 2 GB | 4 GB | |
| Hard disk capacity | 16 GB | 20 GB | 16 GB | 20 GB |
Windows NT 3.1 Advanced Server
Years of support: 1993 - 2001. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 16, 32 and 64 bits.
Editions: -
System requirements
| CPU | Intel 80386 |
|---|---|
| RAM | 2 MB |
| Hard disk capacity | 8 MB |
Windows NT 3.5 Server
Years of support: 1994 - 2001. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 16, 32 and 64 bits.
Editions: -
What's new
- Built-in support Winsock And TCP/IP.
- The emergence of DHCP and WINS servers.
- Providing public access to files and printers.
- VFAT support.
System requirements
| CPU | 33 MHz |
|---|---|
| RAM | 16 MB |
| Hard disk capacity | 70 MB |
Windows NT 3.51 Server
Years of support: 1995 - 2001. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 16, 32 and 64 bits.
Editions: -
System requirements
| CPU | 33 MHz |
|---|---|
| RAM | 16 MB |
| Hard disk capacity | 70 MB |
Windows NT 4.0 Server
Years of support: 1996 - 2004. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 32 and 64 bits.
Editions: Server, Enterprise Edition, Terminal Server
System requirements
Windows 2000 Server
Years of support: 2000 - 2010. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 32 and 64 bits.
Editions: Server, Advanced Server and Datacenter Server
System requirements
Windows Server 2003
Years of support: 2003 - 2015. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 32 and 64 bits.
Editions: Web, Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter
System requirements
Web, Standard, Enterprise:
Datacenter Edition:
Windows Server 2003 R2
Years of support: 2005 - 2015. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 32 and 64 bits.
Editions: Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter
System requirements
Standard, Enterprise:
Datacenter Edition:
Windows Server 2008
Years of support: 2008 - 2020. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 32 and 64 bits.
Editions: Web, Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter, HPC, Storage, Itanium
System requirements
| Minimum | Featured | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | 32-bit | 64-bit | 32-bit | 64-bit |
| CPU | 1 GHz | 1.4 GHz | 2 GHz | |
| RAM | 512 MB | 2 GB | ||
| Hard disk capacity | 10 GB | 40 GB | ||
Windows Server 2008 R2
Years of support: 2009 - 2020. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 64 bits.
Editions: Foundation, Small Business, Web, Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter, HPC, Itanium
System requirements
Windows Server 2012
Years of support: 2012 - 2023. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 64 bits.
System requirements
Windows Server 2012 R2
Years of support: 2013 - 2023. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 64 bits.
Editions: Foundation, Essentials, Standard, Datacenter
System requirements
Windows Server 2016
Years of support: 2016 - 2026. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 64 bits.
Editions: Essentials, Standard, Datacenter
What's new
- Licensing for physical processor cores (minimum 16).
- New installation mode - Nano.
- The emergence of container virtualization.
- OpenGL and OpenCL for RDP.
- Encryption virtual machines and internal network traffic.
- Block replication of file storages.
System requirements
Windows Server 2019 (latest for servers)
Years of support: 2018 - ?. Branch: NT. Bit depth: 64 bits.
Editions: Standard, Datacenter
What's new
- Improved security - built-in Defender ATP and Defender Exploit Guard technologies.
- Windows Subsystem Linux (WSL) - containers for supporting Linux applications.
- To build a cluster with an even number of nodes, a USB drive can act as a witness disk.
