Microsoft Windows XP - Home Edition

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At a Glance

Editors' rating: 8.0 Excellent
Average user rating: 5.7 Average
The good: Streamlined interface; better performance on many systems; easier and more capable networking; integrated CD-R/RW playback and burn features.
The bad: You can install XP on only one machine; piddling discounts for additional PC licenses; nags you to sign up for Passport Web account; multiple-user login screens are often redundant; heavy system requirements.
The bottom line: XP is a worthwhile upgrade from 95/98 or Windows 2000. Unless you need corporate administration tools, XP Home Edition should suffice for most--even for small businesses.

CNET editors' review

Reviewed by: Matt Lake
Reviewed on 9/3/01 Updated on: 11/14/02

Editors' note:

On September 9, Microsoft released Windows XP Service Pack 1, a collection of bug fixes and security updates. The service pack also includes a feature that lets you hide some bundled Microsoft applications. Read our full review of SP1 here.

After a buildup of Hollywood proportions, Microsoft released its final cut of Windows XP, promising that the "biggest release since Windows 95" would end the stability woes of Windows 95 and temper the unfriendly interface of Windows 2000. So is XP worth all the hype? Grudgingly, we say yes. This major upgrade at long last ends the distinction between the corporate (and more stable) NT/2000 Windows and the consumer-oriented Windows 95/98/Millennium. It's spiffier, with both aesthetic and functional redesigns, and features login screens for home and corporate systems alike--something many Windows 95/98 users have never seen. Like any radical overhaul, XP takes some getting used to, but it's hard not to like over time. Microsoft has managed to create an OS that works equally well for novices, corporate users, and enthusiasts.

Full review of Microsoft Windows XP - Home Edition

After a buildup of Hollywood proportions, Microsoft released its final cut of Windows XP, promising that the "biggest release since Windows 95" would end the stability woes of Windows 95 and temper the unfriendly interface of Windows 2000. We found the first release of XP expensive and occasionally annoying--nagging screens and pop-up bubbles galore--and chafed at the new license restrictions. But XP Pro offers powerful Remote Assistance tools, administrative controls, and security, and it wraps up the best features of Windows 2000 in an easier-to-navigate package. It's a must-have upgrade from Windows 95/98, but even stolid NT/2000 admins should give the new order a try.

This major upgrade at long last ends the distinction between the corporate (and more stable) NT/2000 Windows and the consumer-oriented Windows 95/98/Millennium. XP provides similar variations of the same OS for both home and business: XP Home and XP Professional editions. On the outside, XP looks radically different from any previous Windows version. It's spiffier, with both aesthetic and functional redesigns, and features login screens for home and corporate systems alike--something many Windows 95/98 users have never seen.

Like any radical overhaul, XP takes some getting used to--we often lost patience with it--but, after time, it's hard not to like the new design. While its new, hand-holding "task-oriented" design may annoy experienced users, Microsoft nevertheless managed to create an OS that works equally well for novices, corporate users, and enthusiasts. Despite hefty system requirements (a Pentium II-300 or faster, 128MB of RAM, and 1.5GB of free disk space), onerous product activation, and some not-so-obvious touting of Microsoft's business partners, you'll want to consider an upgrade--if not immediately, certainly the next time you buy a PC.

Screenshot of Microsoft Windows XP - Home Edition

The new XP Start menu is where all the action begins, and it'll be your first glimpse at the major changes in XP. By default, it's the only place you'll find My Computer, My Documents, and My Network Places (formerly known as Network Neighborhood). But you can always drag items you like onto the now barren Desktop and make shortcuts, as we did here.

Basic Specs

Product Specifications:
Product Description: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition - Complete package
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
License Type: Complete package
License Qty: 1 user
License Pricing: Standard
Language(s): English
Localization: Canada , United States
Media: CD-ROM
Package Type: Retail
Product Basic Spec:
Compatibility: PC
Min processor type: Intel Pentium 233 MHz
Min hard drive space: 1.5 GB
Min RAM size: 64 MB

Buying choices

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