Q: Windows 10 S?

[DarkStar]

I am looking at some low/mid-priced laptops (not for use as a DAW (but for MS Office, Internet browsing, PDF reading etc ) and see that the OS is Windows 10 S.

Could someone clarify what this is? Pros and cons?

[twisted-space]

It's a limited version of Windows 10 home, intended to compete with ChromOS/Chromebooks.
You can't change the default browser, or install anything from outside the windows store.

It is possible to do a one time only upgrade to full Windows 10 home.

[chk071]

It's a limited version of Windows 10 home, intended to compete with ChromOS/Chromebooks.

It's not really intended to compete with Chrome OS (the new Windows 10 X will compete with it), but... this is correct:

You can't change the default browser, or install anything from outside the windows store.

It won't run Win32 applications, which means that you can only use Universal Windows Apps (the Store apps) with it.

As twisted-space mentioned, you an upgrade to the "normal" Windows 10 though. Which I would highly recommend, when you buy such a device.

[DarkStar]

OK, thank you. So, go for it, but switch to the appropriate Windows 10 ASAP. Any idea why MS did it?

I tried to look round the Windows store to see what was available but it seems like an Ikea store - wandering around for hours, trying to find stuff then trying to find a quick way out.

[chk071]

OK, thank you. So, go for it, but switch to the appropriate Windows 10 ASAP. Any idea why MS did it?

To promote the Windows store, and their app platform. Unfortunately, it didn't really go too well though, so, they even develop their own apps as Win32 apps again (the new Microsoft Edge (Chromium-based) is such a case, for example). If you have the chance, I'd definitely go for the "full blown" Windows.

I'm not 100% sure if that's possible for every Windows S device though, but, I guess so.