I'm buying multiple Asus NUCs for our office and we currently have Microsoft 365 E3. I know that Windows 11 Pro is necessary for upgrading to Enterprise with E3. What's the most cost-effective way to legally license these new machines with Windows 11 Pro? Would OEM licenses be a good option, and where can I find them?
4 Answers
Do you have an Enterprise Volume License Key? Also, just checking, but doesn’t E3 automatically give you Windows Enterprise?
A great option is to go with Windows 10 Pro OEM licenses from an authorized reseller; they’re generally cheaper and will cover your needs well.
The Asus NUCs should ideally come with Windows 11 Pro if you're not going for barebones models. If you're planning to purchase NUCs without an OS, then you’ll need licenses separately.
Yeah, the barebones versions don't have an OS preinstalled.
If you’re going for NUCs without an OS, you’ll have to buy retail copies of Windows Pro. Remember to keep those serial keys handy since you’ll need them to upgrade to Win Enterprise later. Unfortunately, there’s no way to just buy a license alone without getting the full OS.
An OEM copy will be cheaper, but keep in mind it won't allow reinstallation on a different machine like retail does. Still, you'll likely not need that.
Yes, E3 includes Win Enterprise, but it's crucial to start with Windows 11 Pro on the NUCs as the base.