What is the difference between Upgrade and Update means to you?

Software updates and upgrades can seem pretty similar. You know one tends to cost more (sometimes a LOT more), many users are asking- what’s the difference?

Both usually require you restarting your computer (and both interrupt your work, unless you have a rule in place that pushes those updates through when you’re not in your peak productivity time). Things should work or look differently with both, hopefully in a good way.

An update is a free program that fixes issues with the software or adds more hardware support while Upgrades add additional features to your software product and are not free.

• Updates (Patches)

In software terms, a patch (or update) is meant to address two issues -- (1) to correct bugs (or problems) within the software that makes it perform less than optimal and (2) to add new compatible hardware support. The latter is due to the constant development of hardware since the launch of our software. All updates are available for free on our website.

• Upgrades

Upgrades are different in the sense that they do not address the two issues, but rather make an OEM version (refers to our software that came bundled with some hardware you purchased) or Standard version and advances it to the next version. Basically adding more features to your program. They can be purchased from CyberLink Online Store.

So what’s the real difference and how does that affect you?

Updates are kind of like small fixes around your house, whereas an upgrade is fully gutting your house and renovating it. One builds on top of something existing and can take very little time. The other wipes the slate, starts over, and takes longer.

• When you update a program, you’re applying new patches and changes to the existing file on your computer. The update file you’re downloading and installing is pretty small comparatively, so it doesn’t take long. While the program may look different to you as the end user, it’s usually in a pretty minor way.

• When you upgrade a program, then the existing file is being uninstalled, and a new one is being installed in its place. This takes significantly longer, and there are many more changes to the program in an upgrade than there is with an update. The upgrade file is much bigger than an update file for the same program because it’s going to contain significantly more data. With an upgrade, the program should look significantly different than it did before. Think Windows 8.1 compared to Windows 10 in difference.