Simple Windows deployment to multiple PCs

Question

I purchased 3 PCs with identical hardware that have Windows 8.1 installed. I purchased 3 licenses for Windows 8.1 Pro retail/full version. I want them to be configured identically initially, including the administrator account and password. I will be spending considerable effort to configure a PC, and I would rather not have to do it 3 times. I don't do IT for a living, and I would rather not go through that learning curve for a one-time deployment.

I saw this related question, but it is for Windows 7 and the answer looks like more learning and effort than what it would take me to manually configure 2 PCs.

Referencing this documentation on Sysprep, will the following scenarios work?

Scenario A

1. Install Windows 8.1 Pro on the 1st PC, with the 1st Product Key
2. Install updates, drivers, common apps, change settings, etc.
3. Open a Command Prompt window as an administrator
4. Move to the %WINDIR%\system32\sysprep directory.
5. Enter command: Sysprep /generalize /shutdown /oobe
6. Use disk backup software to take an image of the drive
7. Restore the image to the 2nd and 3rd PCs
8. At the next boot for all 3 PCs, enter the Product Key as part of the OOBE
9. Activate Windows on all 3 PCs

Scenario B

1. Install Windows 8.1 Pro on the 1st PC, with the 1st Product Key
2. Activate 1st PC
3. Install updates, drivers, common apps, change settings, etc.
4. Use disk backup software to take an image of the drive (1st-PC specific)
5. Open a Command Prompt window as an administrator
6. Move to the %WINDIR%\system32\sysprep directory.
7. Enter command: Sysprep /generalize /shutdown /oobe
8. Use disk backup software to take an image of the drive (generalized)
9. Restore the 1st-PC-specific image to the 1st PC
10. Restore the generalized image to the 2nd and 3rd PCs
11. At the next boot for the 2nd and 3rd PCs, enter the Product Key as part of the OOBE
12. Activate Windows on the 2nd and 3rd PCs