ZisaLog: Beginner’s Guide to Building a Custom PC 
Have you ever wondered which operating systems (OS) other people choose for their custom-built PCs, or what specifications they consider important?
To answer these questions, various statistics have been compiled based on the parts selected in the “Custom PC Parts Estimation and Compatibility Check Tool” that has been developed and managed.
Graphs have been created to show the OS popularity ranking, price range, manufacturer, and the selection rate by other specifications and features. These graphs provide a good overview of the current trends in operating system selection for custom PCs.
In addition to OS data, there is also analysis of other PC parts and overall custom PC trends, which may be helpful.
– The data is based on information from the Custom PC Tool.
– Data period: From 2024/5/9 to 2024/08/09 (about 3 months)
– Number of data entries: About 5,000
– The vertical axis of the graphs shows the selection rate by users
– For easier viewing, the graphs focus on the main volume zone, so the total may not add up to 100%.
Select PC parts and online stores to instantly generate an estimate, check compatibility, and calculate power requirements. You can save up to five different builds, making it easy to try out multiple configurations.
≫ Tool：PC Parts Estimation & Compatibility Check Tool
Table of Contents
Basic Data on Operating Systems
First, the most important points such as popularity ranking, manufacturer, and price range will be introduced.
OS Popularity Ranking
*If the same name appears multiple times, it is due to differences in language or license type. Specifications will be displayed in the future to make them easier to distinguish.
OS Manufacturers
For PC operating systems, the main options are Windows, MacOS, and Linux. However, MacOS cannot be installed on custom PCs, and Linux is not selectable in the custom PC tool. Therefore, Microsoft, which develops Windows, accounts for 100% of the selections.
OS Price Range
The typical price range for Windows OS is around 10,000 to 20,000 yen. The price varies depending on whether it is Home or Pro, the license type, and the online store.
Although not shown in the graph, a few users selected Windows Server for servers, which costs about 200,000 yen.
Data by OS Specifications and Features
Next, the data is summarized by specifications and features.
OS Series
It has been about three years since Windows 11 was released in October 2021. In addition, extended support for Windows 10 will end in October 2025.
Because of this, when building a new PC, Windows 11 is naturally the main choice.
≫ Related article: Explanation of OS Support Deadlines and Risks of Expired Support
OS Edition
Windows has Home and Pro editions, but generally, the Home edition has enough features for most users.
For example, to connect remotely from a main PC to a server PC using Remote Desktop, the server-side PC (the one being connected to) needs to be Windows Pro.
*With Home, it is possible to connect to another PC via Remote Desktop, but it cannot be connected to from another PC.*
Unless there is a clear need for a specific feature, the Home edition is sufficient.
The differences between Home and Pro are explained in How to Choose an OS, so please refer to it.
OS License Type
The regular version overwhelmingly accounts for more than 90% of selections.
The DSP version is only sold as a set with other hardware parts and is not usually sold separately.
Therefore, it is unclear why it is sometimes sold individually, but this is not relevant here.
In terms of licensing, the DSP version is tied to the hardware it was sold with and cannot be transferred to another PC.
Because of this restriction, the DSP version is often cheaper than the regular version, but recently the regular version is sometimes cheaper, so there is not much reason to choose the DSP version.
OS Language
There are two main OS languages: Japanese and English. Surprisingly, the Japanese version accounts for less than 80% of selections.
Since only the Japanese version is usually purchased, the reason for choosing the English version is unclear.
However, even with the English version, it is possible to set the language to Japanese and use it almost the same as the Japanese version.
Therefore, it is possible that some people buy the English version because it is cheaper and then use it with Japanese settings. However, the Japanese version is usually a few thousand yen cheaper.
It is possible that some users simply select the English version by mistake.
*In the custom PC tool, the product name does not show the language, so unless the specifications are checked, the difference is not clear. Some users may just look at the version and select it quickly.*
Summary: OS Statistical Data
Graphs have been provided showing the OS popularity ranking, price range, manufacturer, and the selection rate by other specifications and features.
For custom PCs, the operating system is basically the latest version from Microsoft, and the price range is also fairly fixed. Therefore, there may not be much new information to gain from the statistical data.
In addition to OS data, analysis of other PC parts and overall custom PC trends is also available and may be helpful.
Select PC parts and online stores to instantly generate an estimate, check compatibility, and calculate power requirements. You can save up to five different builds, making it easy to try out multiple configurations.
≫ Tool：PC Parts Estimation & Compatibility Check Tool
