TL;DR: Microsoft released a little-known Windows edition called Windows 11 Pro for Workstations in 2021. It's a client operating system built for high-end PCs and workstations, offering support for more memory and CPU sockets than Windows 11 Pro, along with ReFS storage features, SMB Direct networking, and persistent-memory workloads.
Windows 11 Pro for Workstations is designed for professionals, data scientists, and enterprise users with highly specialized workloads. As noted by TechPowerup, it's positioned between Windows 11 Pro and Windows Server, but it largely remained hidden in plain sight for five years, even though download links and purchase options were available all along on Microsoft's official website.
The workstation-grade OS removes several of Windows 11 Pro's hardware restrictions, supporting up to 4 CPUs with up to 256 total cores and 6TB of combined system memory. It also incorporates the Resilient File System (ReFS), which protects data by automatically detecting and repairing corrupted files across mirrored drives.
Windows 11 Pro for Workstations costs $309... or you can grab the regular Windows 11 Pro for just $10 on the TechSpot Store right now.
Another notable feature in Windows 11 Pro for Workstations is support for Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA), which speeds up file sharing by using network adapters to transfer data with ultra-low latency and minimal CPU usage. The OS also supports NVDIMM hardware, which lets data persist through a power loss while still writing and reading at standard memory speeds.
Unlike standard Windows editions, Windows 11 Pro for Workstations is officially certified for server-class processors, including Intel Xeon and AMD Opteron chips. Windows 11 Pro, by comparison, only supports up to 2 physical consumer CPUs, 128 total cores, and 2TB of RAM. It also lacks ReFS and RDMA support entirely.
Windows 11 Pro for Workstations is the successor to Windows 10 Pro for Workstations, which arrived in 2017 for professionals working in 3D rendering, CAD workflows, and 4K video editing.
The two versions share an almost identical feature set, though the newer edition comes with a refreshed interface and built-in AI tools that the older version lacks.
Windows 11 Pro for Workstations is available for purchase from Microsoft's official webstore and also comes pre-installed on branded workstations from Lenovo, Dell, and other vendors. The digital license runs a hefty $309 on the Microsoft Store, a steep premium over Windows 11 Pro's $200 MSRP, but you can grab it for just $10 on the TechSpot Store right now.