What you need to know
- The Surface Hub 2S can now install Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise.
- Switching to Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise transforms the Surface Hub 2S into a more traditional PC.
- The Surface Hub 2S can also continue to use the device with its current version of Windows.
Microsoft's Surface Hub 2S can now install Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise. The new configuration option for the Surface Hub 2S shifts the device away from being a meeting-centric piece of hardware, moving instead toward a more traditional large Windows 10 PC. Installing Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise is optional, and a configuration that Microsoft promised last year.
The Surface Hub 2S ships with an operating system Microsoft calls Windows 10 Team. It is optimized for meetings, secure, and supports features like "Walk up and use" that make it ideal for conference rooms. If people don't need a Surface Hub 2S for meetings or settings that need that version of Windows, they can now swap to Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise. Doing so transforms the Surface Hub 2S into a traditional PC with a 50-inch screen.
If a Surface Hub 2S is switched to Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise, it gains the ability to install apps from outside of the Microsoft Store, including both Win 32 and x64 apps. It also gains Microsoft Defender ATP, Windows Hello support, support for any Windows 10 compatible USB accessory, and Kiosk Mode. It does, however, lose some options as well, including "Walk up and use" and the interface optimized for meetings.
Microsoft has a chart and details breaking down the differences between running the different versions of Windows on the Surface Hub 2S on its website.
While Kiosk mode does not replace the meeting-optimized interface that ships with Windows 10 Team, it does provide customization options that could make the Surface Hub 2S more useable in different settings while still running Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise.
