Original Equipment Manufacturer Explained

I've seen some confusion about OEM products not having software and little or no support given for OEM products. OEM, acronym for Original Equipment Manufacturer, is a type of purchasing option in which the purchaser agrees to provide support for the device. This allows for re-sellers or system builders to purchase software and equipment at a discount and package it with their own support or software.

What's Included with OEM

OEM hardware will typically contain just the base product.
OEM software will usually be a non-transferable license.

What isn't included with OEM

Typically:
OEM hardware will not have cables, accessories, drivers, or software required to use it.
OEM software will not have support, if you purchased OEM software- you are supposed to provide the support for it. An OEM operating system is usually a one-machine use, so if the computer breaks, you can't install it on a different computer.

Who is OEM intended for?

I've seen alot of 'OEM' appear in the retail market, this is misleading because while such products are cheaper than their retail counterparts- they don't have the same support and may not even have the software you need to use them. OEM should be purchased by computer enthusiast or system builders, but not the general public.

Summary

Be aware that OEM is not the same as RETAIL. OEM is just the base product from the manufacturer where as Retail will have what you need to use the product. OEM is cheaper because it doesn't have what is included in the Retail packaging.