For the many of us that have purchased a laptop, we are somewhat used to the amount of bloatware that comes pre-installed. Most of this relates to the company specific software, or free trials for office applications or anti-virus software. I would imagine that the more technologically savvy users uninstall some of this bloat for themselves and their family and friends, but it does give an opportunity for the manufacturer to install what they want before the device gets shipped.

Here at AnandTech we receive laptops on a regular basis for review, and where we can we tend to ask for retail units so we can analyze the hardware without fear of getting a ?review-focused? sample. The same thing goes for motherboards, SSDs, and graphics cards, which also come with their own software but the user has to specifically install everything. With a laptop, smartphone, tablet, workstation, or notebook, it all comes pre-prepared for the user to plug and play. The demand to remove the bloatware has led to smartphones and tablets being offered with pure stock versions but also carrier customized ones, and some users get the choice of both.