Buying a cheap laptop without Windows: Is it worth it?

“The decision to forego Windows is the reason for the noticeably
low prices of these offers. Manufacturers can save themselves the
license fees that they otherwise must pay to Microsoft for each
installation of Windows.

“‘The low-end laptop market in particular is so hard fought that
manufacturers will grab for any dollars they can save,’ explains
Elmar Geese, chairman of the Linux association in Berlin. In place
of Windows, the laptops come either without an operating system or
use a pre-installed variant of the typically no-cost alternative
operating system Linux.

“For the user, that means a bit of extra work and
acclimation.

“Simply installing Windows from the old computer is generally
not an option. Most Windows installations are tied by license to
the computer with which they were sold.”

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