Just like the good old days! Windows 11 launched as a free upgrade last year, and the OS was primarily made available as a download on Microsoft website. Some seven months in, it is now available physical.
As in, if you so desire, you can buy the operating system in retail packaging.
If that’s your thing.
Microsoft has now rolled out retail boxes for the latest version of Windows, though the company has not yet announced it in any official capacity. But as spotted by Luke Blevins, Best Buy has official Windows 11 Pro and Windows 11 Home USB flash drives for sale.
And this is how these glorious boxes look:
Retail Packaging for the #Windows11 era pic.twitter.com/crxJL5zCUH
— Luke Blevins 🇺🇦 (@luke_blevins1) May 8, 2022
The box itself prominently displays the Bloom background, popularized by the operating system. The light version is used for Windows 11 Home, appropriately, while the dark design takes the stage for Windows 11 Pro.
Overall, makes for a more appealing and classier package compared to Windows 10.
The box actually contains a USB flash drive. No disc affair here — gone are the days of DVD. The drive contains the installation and an activation key.
And in case you’re wondering, the physical copy of the operating system costs the same as the digital license. Windows 11 Home will set you back $139.99, while Windows 11 Pro will cost you $199.99. So, you are not paying extra for the physical edition, which is good.
Speaking of, the license provided is valid for a single PC. One that still needs to meet the minimum system requirements in place for the new operating system.
Although the vast majority of the people will probably not go through the added hassle of going out and buying Windows 11 and then installing it via physical media, the option has been there for years now, so there is clearly a market for it.
And while the digital license costs the same as purchasing physical media, the latter get you the benefit of a complimentary USB flash drive to go with some neat looking retail packaging.
Look for it where you normally shop for software.
