They go up and keep going up without stopping. And, for the moment, it does not seem that the situation will be different for next year. For this reason, it is quite possible that you have considered buying a new laptop, but this time, without an operating system installed as standard. More than anything, because you can save a good pinch of its price.
Within the entire laptop market, the truth is that we find a significant number of PCs that come without a system. Basically, because in this way, the computer becomes cheaper than if it had Windows 11 or Windows 10. More or less, the difference that we can save is between 100 and 200 euros , something that we can notice and a lot in our pocket.
Does it matter that I don’t have an operating system?
First of all, it is possible that you have never considered it if you have never seen the need to buy a laptop without an operating system. However, the fact that it does not carry the Windows label does not mean that we do not find software on the computer. Basically, because the different manufacturers come to install an operating system called FreeDOS .
Specifically, we are dealing with a free and open source version of Windows MS-DOS . Although, it is different, since it works through commands and does not have a graphical interface. So it will not help us to use it constantly, especially if we do not have great knowledge of computers. All this is because the different brands cannot sell a laptop without an operating system, so they add this option, after reaching an agreement with Microsoft not to sell computers without software.
We don’t always come across this alternative, but the truth is that the vast majority of manufacturers use this software because it is easy to install and, above all, because it encourages users to finally buy the Windows license .
Advantages and disadvantages
Now that we know this important fact, it is time to see the advantages and disadvantages of buying a PC without an operating system . In this way, you will be able to clear up your doubts and, of course, be more clear about whether it is worth buying a device without software already installed as standard. Therefore, these are the three benefits it has:
- It’s cheaper : This is a clear advantage of buying a laptop without a system. More than anything, because we managed to save , as we told you before, between 100 and 200 euros , which is what the official Windows license usually costs.
- You can choose freely : another clear point is that you will have the opportunity to freely choose the OS (operating system) that you want to have on your PC.
- Customize the configuration : it will be a good alternative if what we want is a personalized configuration for the laptop.
After learning about the three advantages, it’s time to see if it really is such a good idea to buy a laptop without an operating system. So here are three disadvantages that you cannot ignore:
- Complications when installing the operating system : if you are one of those users who does not have technical knowledge on the subject, you may find yourself in a situation where it is not so easy to install the OS you wanted on your computer on your own.
- Pay for the installation : whether we like it or not, we will have to pay to install an operating system if we have not finally managed to carry out the process on our own.
- Using the laptop : first of all, as soon as you turn on the equipment, you will not be able to use it easily, since you will have to carry out a series of adjustments to make it functional. And, with this, the time that you will have to invest in the computer will be much greater. Also, keep in mind that you won’t be able to use it for everything if you don’t master the free and open source operating system that comes standard.