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Windows 10 PRO processor support

Anonymous
2018-08-29T16:33:06+00:00

Hello!

I am running a small business and want to build a new computer for medium workload.

My plan is to build it based on AMD Ryzen 7 2700x which is 8-core processor with 16 threads

My colleague says that I will not be able to activate, nor install windows 10 PRO because of 8 cores in a processor, this version of Windows only supports 4 cores max.

He suggest me to buy Windows 10 PRO for Workstations.

Yet he says that it is not legal, based on Microsoft licensing to use Win 10 PRO version with processors more than 4 cores, I must use "10 PRO for Workstations" version.

This sounds very, very odd to me and I just can`t believe it. Then I found an info that only Intel Xeon processors (server class 6 cores and up...) must use Win 10 PRO for workstations in order to have legal computer.

So, is it legally possible to build windows 10 PRO computer using AMD Ryzen 7 2700x 8-core processor and use it in small business purposes?

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Licensing and activation

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  1. Anonymous
    2018-08-29T17:13:38+00:00

    Hi,

    Windows 10 ver 1803 (Home and Pro) supports the following processors:

    Intel:

    Up through the following Intel 8th Generation Processors (Intel Core i3/i5/i7-8xxxK/U/G), 7th Generation Xeon E3-xxxx v6, and through current Intel Atom (J4xxx/J5xxx and N4xxx/N5xxx), Celeron and Pentium Processors

    AMD

    Up through the following AMD 7th Generation Processors (A-Series Ax-9xxx & E-Series Ex-9xxx & FX-9xxx), AMD Ryzen 3/5/7 2xxx, AMD Opteron and AMD EPYC 7xxxx Processors

    Both versions support the latest processors from AMD,  you don't need to worry about the cores, they will all be detected and supported.  

    As for 'legality' with Windows, you only need a legitimate Windows 10 installation on your PC or PC's to make them legal.  It does not matter if they are only running Windows 10 Home.  For a small business, you don't need Windows 10 Pro.  It's not essential or indeed a 'legal' requirement.

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  2. Anonymous
    2018-08-29T17:22:24+00:00

    Thank you both, Igor and Obsessive power!

    This clarifies my question and I will proceed with Win 10 PRO

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-08-29T16:41:21+00:00

    It is legal to use up to two physical processors (sockets) in Windows 10 Pro regardless of number of cores. One need to count cores when he talk about Windows Server 2016 licenses not Windows 10.

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  4. Anonymous
    2018-08-29T16:38:25+00:00

    Hi,

    Since Windows 7 32-bit versions support 32 cores or threads, 64-bit - up to 256.

    See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/10737/....

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