Microsoft OEM System Builder | Windоws 11 Pro | Intended use for new systems | Authorized by Microsoft

Exactly what you'd expect. I've never needed to contact MS Support, and I typically give away my computer to friends or family whenever I upgrade, so I'm not trying to move my Windows to another PC (it's locked to a single mobo).I thought I'd get the key emailed to me, but it actually came as a DVD (should have read closer haha). No problem, as you can install Windows 11 via a download/USB flash drive with no issues, and the few days I had to wait to activate posed no problems at all.

This was the best price I could find from a reputable seller, and it worked perfectly. While it comes with a disk, I used the product key with a digital installation of Windows 11 Pro and had zero issues. Activation was smooth and immediate. Definitely a great option if you're upgrading or building a PC and want to save some money without resorting to risky or sketchy sellers out there.

This product was used on two home-built ASUS desktops and an ASUS Vivobook notebook computer. I make my computers to be dual boot; Windows (whatever version) and Linux (Mint). The way I switch operating systems is to shut down the computer, access the UEFI (BIOS), and change to the SSD or the partition of the operating system I want to use. This worked fine. I have done this sort of thing for years, dating back to Windows XP.Most of the time I leave these three computers running all the time under Windows (11). One morning last August (2024), I find all three computers were alive in Linux. I shut down and switched back to Windows, and the computers completed a compulsory update. Days later I try to switch to Linux to do (my) scheduled updates. Microsoft has locked me out of the UEFIs, so I cannot switch operating systems. Just swell.I can work around this with the desktop systems, but it is a Royal Pain. I have to get in the box, then pry out the lithium battery for the realtime clock and BIOS. After the BIOS' brains are scrambled, I reassemble the machine, set the clock, fix the "secure boot" vandalism, and switch (or not switch) operating systems. This works fine until Microsoft gets their tentacles on the computers again, via mandatory update.The notebook computer is another catastrophe. Getting inside is the thing is not much fun. I cannot find a lithium battery to pop out. It might not have one. I have an old HP money pit notebook that when you unplug the main battery, the BIOS wakes up says "Where the heck am I?" The ASUS Vivobook has no such feature. I have unplugged the battery overnight, and it still doesn't let go. The only way I can regain control is to unplug the SSD, and start the machine up without an SSD. That gets the BIOS' attention. I leave this computer running Linux. Someday, when I have time, I will rework the SSD to make it all Linux. The Vivobook has only one SSD. That is another joy brought to me from the Benevolent System "Administrators" of Microsoft. They will no longer allow me to back up Windows on another SSD. I have a 2 TB SSD, half Windows/half Linux. It looks like the only solution is Wipe the SSD and reinstall Linux on the entire 2 TB.Remember this when you contemplate buying your next Microsoft product. You think you own it, but do you really? Oh yeah, you pay for it. When it breaks you fix it, replace it, or junk it. But if you use it in a way that Microsoft does not approve, they will "fix" it for you. After all, they can do that. You really don't own it.

Glad they are still making the purchase of the CD/DVD available. As expected there is a ton of updates, but the core OS gets installed once the key is verified. All-in-all, it took less than 30 minutes.

Microsoft has taken a commendable step toward understanding the essence of simplicity and elegance. The redesigned interface, with its centered Start menu and refined windowing system, reflects a certain aspiration—an attempt to achieve the seamless fluidity that makes great technology invisible.The installation on my new PC was swift, and the system feels fast and responsive. Yet, while Windows 11 impresses with its modern aesthetic, it occasionally succumbs to the complexities that have long plagued the platform. The Settings menu, though improved, feels inconsistent, and remnants of legacy design persist like whispers of an era that refuses to fade.Still, the effort to unify work and play is palpable. The integration with Android apps is a bold move, though the execution feels a step behind the vision. Widgets are a curious addition but lack the precision of a true personal assistant.Windows 11 shows promise, a platform growing into its potential. It’s not perfect, but it’s a worthy evolution—proof that even giants can learn to think differently.

I purchased Windows 11 Pro for a new desktop PC build and wanted a legitimate OEM product license key to activate the OS which I had already installed from a bootable USB drive. The product key instantly activated Windows without problem and so mission accomplished. The installation media included with the key is a DVD which is not often used to install software anymore and I found that a bit surprising. The one caution that a purchaser should be aware of is that to access the product activation key on the packaging, you have to scratch a covering surface to reveal the key. The key underneath the surface is in micro type and not easy to read. If you scratch to hard you can damage the key and make it illegible. The material is so fragile that this can happen. I had to guess at a couple characters when I activated. Other than that caution, the product key seems to be a genuine Microsoft authorized key for OEM systems.

Worked fine for me. Bonus: I was expecting to have to install from scratch over my existing Win 11, which had gotten registry-swampy (for example, couldn't uninstall broken NVIDIA App, couldn't reinstall) - figured it was the price I was paying for updating from Win10 when I cloned the boot drive from a previous build...Anyway, long story short, it says "new computer only", but this DVD will serve as a repair for an existing Win11 install. What it will *not* do is update Win10....No issues with the activation key, worked the first time I used it (to create a new boot drive, which I ended up not needing :) ).