The first is USB install media and Windows key, the other is just a Windows key.
The fist also appears to be a legitimate retailer, while the second is a grey market key seller.
Rhoihessewoi
One is a Windows licence with a key. The other is just a key.
If you don’t know the difference, I give you 10 bucks for the key to your car… /s
lvl_60
The 10 buckaroos one is probably an oem (one time/one machine/one activation) key.
The expensive one is a license tied to your microsoft account.
AllMyFrendsArePixels
About 178 dollars and 10 cents.
Rafael3110
Go to google and search after” windows acrivation script”
Open powershell as admin an run the code from that github.
SpecialMango3384
Yeahhhh I just pirated win11…
lepobz
Ignore people saying the cheap keys are bought using stolen credit cards, that’s not how this works.
Cheap keys are usually sold multiple times, so your cheap activation key may be shared with say 50 others, but being an enterprise key it’s designed for multiple activations.
It’s not supposed to be sold to individuals, but Microsoft can’t police it.
As an example, a retailer will have paid about $300 for a ‘Volume’ Windows key (designed for one enterprise user, but allows multiple activations), and sold it to 50 people at $10 each. Theres $200 profit for them, per key. Rinse and repeat.
From a legal perspective, it’s a massive grey area. Microsoft have to police it but they don’t. The worst that can happen is they identify the keys that have been mis-sold and deactivate the activations. Rarely happens. But then you just buy another and swap the key, don’t even need to reinstall.
i_wish_you_health
I might be a little bit in the past but can’t you just download it for free from Microsoft themselves?
[Official website ](https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/software-download/windows11) where I downloaded multiple instances of Windows 11 and Windows 10. Or do you need an activation key, asking since I never had to activate it after downloading from there
Edit: nvm I looked a bit more into it, you need an activation key. But I never needed one. So sorry for the false information
6-Daweed-9
Dont buy home … dont buy at all tbh
quantum_ice
I mean, they’re both scams. Just install the software and use powershell to activate it for free. Paying for windows is such a waste of money
paparansen
the left is including an overpriced usb stick,
the right is only license.
Big_Daddy_Pablo_69
Insert meme “Ya’ll pay for windows 😳”
IAmWantedByTheGov
They’re both not worth it, use an activation script
ASDIB995
Got my win 11 pro key for $10 and it’s serving me well.
TattayaJohn
Cheap one is Upgrade version. Expensive one is the Full Package as said.
A_Person77778
One comes on a USB stick for you, the other doesn’t
Then-Tangelo-4949
I paid for my key for windows ten old computer wouldn’t let me upgrade to 11. Built a new one logged into windows and they want me to pay for another key.
Hottage
The first one is an official USB install media with a commercial license.
You get a USB stick with the Windows installer on it and a license you can (officially) migrate to new hardware indefinitely.
The second one is an OEM license, these are (officially) not supported for home user use, they are for installing on computers by system builders.
It will _probably_ work but these licenses are generally tied to your hardware and you are ineligible for Microsoft support (they will redirect you to your “OEM”).
United_Influence_123
the price
xXkxuXx
If you buy the first one then you’ll spend $189 more than you should but if you buy the second one you’ll overspend by $10
Ronyx2021
You can make your own install media using the Microsoft website, which will require less updates durring set up, but you’ll need a product license / key to customize what few options Windows has. If you don’t get product license / key, you’ll have white text asking for it in the corner forever. You could just ignore that if you wanted to.
WeakDiaphragm
Both are too expensive
king0demons
One is a physical install usb, other is a digital license key.
NeighratorP
Lots of wrong answers in the comments, but tbf it is all a bit complicated. I’ll make it easy for you, OP: Buy the $10 one.
SortOfaTaco
OP just look up windows activation scripts on Google/github and call it a day, it should honestly be illegal for windows to sell activation keys at this point considering all the fucking advertising and force feeding of their own products to you
Pimpwerx
I buy a fresh copy of Windows for ~$6 everytime I get a new rig. They’re legit. It can sometimes take a couple different keys to work, and with Windows 11 Pro, there was an initial activation step with a different key, but once you get through you’re fine. And the reinstalls and reactivations are smoother, because Windows already recognizes the device.
There really is no point in paying full price for Windows. It’s one of the easiest pieces of software to buy legally cheap.
Shinonomenanorulez
just use an activation script, they’re harvesting your data regardless so might as well get something off it
okoutlaw420
There’s a way to activate in powershell. The walkthrough is on github.
A_Herd_Of_Elk
So many people in here talking about scripts… when I even said the abbreviation for that stuff in here last time, I got a 2 week ban. 🫤
Anyways, use a script.
Toast_Meat
One is genuine, the other is genuine with risks.
SailorMoira
The second one comes from the grey market. And it’s as usable as the first one.
LD_weirdo
One includes M$ extortion tax and the other doesn’t.
TTYY200
One of them is a Key, you’ll get the license key in either an email, or printed on a piece of cardboard and that’s all you get. You’ll have to create your own installware from the key.
The other is the same thing with the latter done for you. It’s quite literally a 160$ usb stick.
I saved this image I found on PCmasterrace and it supposedly gives you free windows activation once you type that into Power shell. I haven’t used it myself but it might work. I activated my Windows by watching a YouTube tutorial I can’t find anymore, but there are free ways to do it.
35 Comments
The first is USB install media and Windows key, the other is just a Windows key.
The fist also appears to be a legitimate retailer, while the second is a grey market key seller.
One is a Windows licence with a key. The other is just a key.
If you don’t know the difference, I give you 10 bucks for the key to your car… /s
The 10 buckaroos one is probably an oem (one time/one machine/one activation) key.
The expensive one is a license tied to your microsoft account.
About 178 dollars and 10 cents.
Go to google and search after” windows acrivation script”
Open powershell as admin an run the code from that github.
Yeahhhh I just pirated win11…
Ignore people saying the cheap keys are bought using stolen credit cards, that’s not how this works.
Cheap keys are usually sold multiple times, so your cheap activation key may be shared with say 50 others, but being an enterprise key it’s designed for multiple activations.
It’s not supposed to be sold to individuals, but Microsoft can’t police it.
As an example, a retailer will have paid about $300 for a ‘Volume’ Windows key (designed for one enterprise user, but allows multiple activations), and sold it to 50 people at $10 each. Theres $200 profit for them, per key. Rinse and repeat.
From a legal perspective, it’s a massive grey area. Microsoft have to police it but they don’t. The worst that can happen is they identify the keys that have been mis-sold and deactivate the activations. Rarely happens. But then you just buy another and swap the key, don’t even need to reinstall.
I might be a little bit in the past but can’t you just download it for free from Microsoft themselves?
[Official website ](https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/software-download/windows11) where I downloaded multiple instances of Windows 11 and Windows 10. Or do you need an activation key, asking since I never had to activate it after downloading from there
Edit: nvm I looked a bit more into it, you need an activation key. But I never needed one. So sorry for the false information
Dont buy home … dont buy at all tbh
I mean, they’re both scams. Just install the software and use powershell to activate it for free. Paying for windows is such a waste of money
the left is including an overpriced usb stick,
the right is only license.
Insert meme “Ya’ll pay for windows 😳”
They’re both not worth it, use an activation script
Got my win 11 pro key for $10 and it’s serving me well.
Cheap one is Upgrade version. Expensive one is the Full Package as said.
One comes on a USB stick for you, the other doesn’t
I paid for my key for windows ten old computer wouldn’t let me upgrade to 11. Built a new one logged into windows and they want me to pay for another key.
The first one is an official USB install media with a commercial license.
You get a USB stick with the Windows installer on it and a license you can (officially) migrate to new hardware indefinitely.
The second one is an OEM license, these are (officially) not supported for home user use, they are for installing on computers by system builders.
It will _probably_ work but these licenses are generally tied to your hardware and you are ineligible for Microsoft support (they will redirect you to your “OEM”).
the price
If you buy the first one then you’ll spend $189 more than you should but if you buy the second one you’ll overspend by $10
You can make your own install media using the Microsoft website, which will require less updates durring set up, but you’ll need a product license / key to customize what few options Windows has. If you don’t get product license / key, you’ll have white text asking for it in the corner forever. You could just ignore that if you wanted to.
Both are too expensive
One is a physical install usb, other is a digital license key.
Lots of wrong answers in the comments, but tbf it is all a bit complicated. I’ll make it easy for you, OP: Buy the $10 one.
OP just look up windows activation scripts on Google/github and call it a day, it should honestly be illegal for windows to sell activation keys at this point considering all the fucking advertising and force feeding of their own products to you
I buy a fresh copy of Windows for ~$6 everytime I get a new rig. They’re legit. It can sometimes take a couple different keys to work, and with Windows 11 Pro, there was an initial activation step with a different key, but once you get through you’re fine. And the reinstalls and reactivations are smoother, because Windows already recognizes the device.
There really is no point in paying full price for Windows. It’s one of the easiest pieces of software to buy legally cheap.
just use an activation script, they’re harvesting your data regardless so might as well get something off it
There’s a way to activate in powershell. The walkthrough is on github.
So many people in here talking about scripts… when I even said the abbreviation for that stuff in here last time, I got a 2 week ban. 🫤
Anyways, use a script.
One is genuine, the other is genuine with risks.
The second one comes from the grey market. And it’s as usable as the first one.
One includes M$ extortion tax and the other doesn’t.
One of them is a Key, you’ll get the license key in either an email, or printed on a piece of cardboard and that’s all you get. You’ll have to create your own installware from the key.
The other is the same thing with the latter done for you. It’s quite literally a 160$ usb stick.
people pay for windows?
https://preview.redd.it/oyx5265rzj4d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=152d1de9558753c1e55b89f1beb848c2d19e3953
I saved this image I found on PCmasterrace and it supposedly gives you free windows activation once you type that into Power shell. I haven’t used it myself but it might work. I activated my Windows by watching a YouTube tutorial I can’t find anymore, but there are free ways to do it.