Question Cheapest and most reliable place to buy Windows 10 Pro from?

[Reiv_4]

Hi, im building a pc soon and i know i can have an unactivated windows 10 with the watermark but obviously i dont what it to be unactivated forever so I’m wondering where is the most reliable and cheapest place to get a key from? I live in the UK, Thanks in advance!

 

[shadi shtaklef]

cheap keys are unreliable because many are fake. just buy a proper windows 10 key from the microsoft website or buy a windows 10 dvd from any shop and use the key on the dvd

 

[Reiv_4]

cheap keys are unreliable because many are fake. just buy a proper windows 10 key from the microsoft website or buy a windows 10 dvd from any shop and use the key on the dvd

That’s true that many are fake and i can agree with that but buying it from Microsoft also is hella expensive and I just don’t feel like paying that much

 

[shadi shtaklef]

lol "hella" expensive? i am assuming you played the game life is strange

if you dont want to buy key from microsoft then buy a windows 10 dvd from any shop

 

[TJ Hooker]

FYI, if you can't afford to buy a key right now you can download (direct from MS) and install Windows for free and use it unactivated with virtually no drawbacks until you can buy a key.

Edit: Unless you can get free/discounted license from your school/workplace/etc that has a bulk licensing deal, you can't really get a legit license for much less than ~100 USD (depending on what country you're in to some extent).

 

[iLkU]

Go to https://www.kinguin.net/category/19429/windows-10-professional-oem-key/
And order with the insurance should be around 35£?
But keep in mind it's an OEM key

EDIT: After further research, one should not buy OEM keys! Bad idea apparently!

 

[Reiv_4]

Go to https://www.kinguin.net/category/19429/windows-10-professional-oem-key/
And order with the insurance should be around 35£?
But keep in mind it's an OEM key

I’ve heard about kinguin before from tech youtubers and thats how they sometimes get theirs and some other sites do them too like g2a and cdkeys and i was thinking of getting it from one of them but again as mentioned before they could be fake, also what is the difference between OEM and non OEM keys?

 

[USAFRet]

If it was 'valid', you wouldn't need to purchase extra 'insurance'.

With Win 10, the term "OEM" is invalid except in the case of a preinstalled OS on a system like a Dell or HP.
Anyone using that in relation to selling a standalone license is simply mindlocked into pre Win 10 thinking.

 

[USAFRet]

I’ve heard about kinguin before from tech youtubers and thats how they sometimes get theirs and some other sites do them too like g2a and cdkeys and i was thinking of getting it from one of them but again as mentioned before they could be fake, also what is the difference between OEM and non OEM keys?

The "tech youtubers" get paid to shill those sites.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3475215/kinguin-windows-key-wtf.html

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2942456/seller-scam-g2a.html

Why are game developers so angry with G2A's marketplace?

Once again, G2A is being forced to defend its marketplace for digital video game codes and keys. Mike Rose, founder of game publisher No More Robots, launched a petition earlier this month that calls on the company to remove all independent games from its platform. "G2A's platform hurts indie...

www.engadget.com

 

[Reiv_4]

The "tech youtubers" get paid to shill those sites.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3475215/kinguin-windows-key-wtf.html

http://www.tomshardware.com/answers/id-2942456/seller-scam-g2a.html

Why are game developers so angry with G2A's marketplace?

Once again, G2A is being forced to defend its marketplace for digital video game codes and keys. Mike Rose, founder of game publisher No More Robots, launched a petition earlier this month that calls on the company to remove all independent games from its platform. "G2A's platform hurts indie...

www.engadget.com

Okay I’ve made my choice and I’ve decided to invest in a valid copy of windows 10 which is safer and more reliable, thanks everyones input on this thread

 

[iLkU]

If it was 'valid', you wouldn't need to purchase extra 'insurance'.

With Win 10, the term "OEM" is invalid except in the case of a preinstalled OS on a system like a Dell or HP.
Anyone using that in relation to selling a standalone license is simply mindlocked into pre Win 10 thinking.

Well the insurance or the kinguin guarantee is just so you don't get a copy of a key which you can't use, or an invalid one.
These are just as valid as any other keys.
Just that the oem part was limiting it to 1 pc, or rather 1 motherboard. But if I recall correctly you should be able to use it on multiple mobos nowadays. Since even Microsoft understood that people want to upgrade their hardware.

 

[TJ Hooker]

Well the insurance or the kinguin guarantee is just so you don't get a copy of a key which you can't use, or an invalid one.
These are just as valid as any other keys.
Just that the oem part was limiting it to 1 pc, or rather 1 motherboard. But if I recall correctly you should be able to use it on multiple mobos nowadays. Since even Microsoft understood that people want to upgrade their hardware.

"These are just as valid as any other keys."
No, they're not. If you're seeing keys for a fraction of the price of a regular license, they probably come from bulk licensing deals (or similar) that are not valid for resale. MS can and does deactivate licenses like this that are used inappropriately, which can happen at any point down the road, which is why the 30 day money back guarantee provided by the optional 'insurance' they sell doesn't really protect you.

 

[iLkU]

"These are just as valid as any other keys." No, they're not. If you're seeing keys for a fraction of the price of a regular license, they probably come from bulk licensing deals that are not valid for resale, or something like that. MS can and does deactivate keys like this that are used inappropriately, which can happen at any point down the road, which is why the 30 day money back guarantee provided by the optional 'insurance' they sell doesn't really protect you.

Alright, thanks for clearing that up 👍

 

[kerberos_20]

i wonder why guru3d site keeps promo on win 10 keys for like 12bucks from urcdkey, keys are OEM
https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/promo-vip-scdkey-games-and-windows-10-office-dup916d,1.html

promo is running since 2018

 

[USAFRet]

Well the insurance or the kinguin guarantee is just so you don't get a copy of a key which you can't use, or an invalid one.
These are just as valid as any other keys.
Just that the oem part was limiting it to 1 pc, or rather 1 motherboard. But if I recall correctly you should be able to use it on multiple mobos nowadays. Since even Microsoft understood that people want to upgrade their hardware.

Your first two sentences are diametrically opposed.


As said regarding OEM...that does not count anymore for a standalone license you purchase.
That only comes into play when you buy a prebuilt system, with a preinstalled OS.

 

[USAFRet]

i wonder why guru3d site keeps promo on win 10 keys for like 12bucks from urcdkey, keys are OEM
https://www.guru3d.com/articles-pages/promo-vip-scdkey-games-and-windows-10-office-dup916d,1.html

promo is running since 2018

Because they get a kickback.