Completely new to Windows--is Windows 10 ready?

[jerwin]

I have not used windows since Windows 98, preferring linux and apple's version of BSD, However, I've heard that games run faster on Microsoft's OS. Now that I have a retina iMac, and Windows 10 has been released, I figure it might be time to test the waters.

First, does bootcamp work with windows 10, yet? Are the drivers fast enough?
Second, how do I get a copy of Windows? Will the OEM versions (available through newegg and the like) work with bootcamp? Are there different instantiations such as Home, Premium, Work, Datacenter, HPC, and the like that I should be aware of?

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Games are running smoother but not faster until DX12.

Yes OEM will work but you won't have any tech support.

Use Home for single CPU. Pro for dual CPU.

 

[Beeplance]

Hopefully this can help you!

 

[dusk007]

The only Windows version you need is the Home one. Pro has nothing a normal home pc ever needs.
Home Premium is no more, it is just home or pro or enterprise.
You can get Windows for free if you join the insiders. Then you get Updates first and act as beta tester for everyone else. For a gaming machine that should be fine I'd say.

Games definitely run faster and with less bugs than most of the subpar ports that exist for OSX. Graphics drivers are also just much superior in Windows.
There can still be small bugs but for the most part Windows 10 is ready. Its foundation is basically 8.1 and that is quite mature. 10 consists mostly of changes of the visible parts of the OS and not so much of the parts that affect stability.

Bootcamp does not support it so far afaik, officially. But since 8.1 drivers work except for the graphics driver and you get that from nvidia/amd/intel, it essentially works just fine. Officially bootcamp will support it when El Capitan shows up. Apple and their Windows support are never terrible good, it is always a yeah that sort of works passably too. ie. touchpad drivers are really an afterthought in Windows, but gaming requires a mouse anyway.

 

[macenied]

I use W10 on my daily business laptop for 1 week now. Yes, W10 is ready for me. Will not go back to W7. Pro version here.

 

[doynton]

Yes Windows 10 works with bootcamp. I've been using since last October and (except for some oddities in the beta stage) it is fine.

There are only 2 versions that you can buy, Home and Pro. As @dusk007 said you only need to consider the home one. The pro version is $70 more and all you get is the ability to join a domain at work (in which case your work would pay for it anyway). There are a couple of other differences but they are not interesting with the possible exception of bitlocker encryption which doesn't work well with Mac's as we don't have TPM. You can read about it here if you like

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/feature/windows/windows-10-home-vs-windows-10-pro-uk-difference-3618710/