Microsoft announces Windows 7 pricing

[MTI]

Windows 7 Pre Sale Discount 50%

Windows 7 Half-Price Sale Starts Friday

By Paul McDougall
InformationWeek
June 25, 2009 05:11 PM


Consumers who pre-order a copy of Microsoft's Windows 7 operating system will receive more than 50% off the retail price for a limited time starting Friday.

The full version of Windows 7 Home Premium is priced at $199, with an upgrade from Vista or XP costing $119. The full version of Windows 7 Professional is $299, with upgrades going for $199. Windows 7 Ultimate is priced at $319, with the upgrade version at $219.

But U.S. shoppers who pre-order between June 26th and July 11th will receive discounts of 50% or more, Microsoft said. For instance, Windows 7 Home Premium will sell for $49 during the discount period, while Windows 7 Professional will sell for $99. Participating retailers include Best Buy and Amazon, as well as Microsoft's own online store.

A similar program will be offered in Europe from July 15th to Aug. 14th.

Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc, in a blog post Thursday, said the discounts are meant "as a way of saying thank you to our loyal Windows customers."

That may be, but Microsoft's aggressive pricing for Windows 7 shows that the company is anxious to reinvigorate flagging Windows sales. Microsoft's client unit, which houses Windows, saw sales slip 16% in the most recent quarter.

In a further effort to boost sales, Microsoft on Thursday disclosed an upgrade program through which consumers who purchase a Vista-powered PC can migrate to Windows 7 at little or no cost when the latter becomes available on Oct. 22.

 

[MacAndy74]

"We have a home version... that costs $29.
And we have a professional version... that costs $29."
Et cetera.

Just what I was thinking

Either way, I will probably upgrade my wife's laptop with Windows 7 but I hope to get it free from work.

 

[ravenvii]

A large discount on upgrade versions, but not full versions? Why not?

 

[MacAndy74]

A large discount on upgrade versions, but not full versions? Why not?

It seems to be the way Microsoft does business. Or maybe it's the guilt of Vista? Either way, your product is still to expensive Mr Ballmer.

 

[NoSmokingBandit]

Geez, too many options. Its like when i go to McDonalds and order a burger. Idk if i want cheese, onions, pickles on it! Why cant someone make this decision for me and tell me what i need!



Theres really only 3 versions of 7:
Home Premium
Professional (aka Business)
Ultimate

Its really not that hard to figure out what you need.

 

[dsnort]

I actually like Win 7, and was considering getting a copy to run in bootcamp.

But $200?

For a single license?

F**k that!

 

[Eidorian]

I actually like Win 7, and was considering getting a copy to run in bootcamp.

But $200?

For a single license?

F**k that!

It's a retail license with support from Microsoft. Not that many copies are sold either. OEM is huge and upgrade is the major one for consumers.

 

[UnInvincible]

Thank God I'll be going to college when Windows 7 is released and will be able to get one of those awesome student discounts on software.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

On top of the pricing, there are the activation issues

Woof, Woof - Dawg

I don't think I've ever heard of show stopper activation issues that weren't caused by Microsoft itself.

I actually like Win 7, and was considering getting a copy to run in bootcamp.

But $200?

For a single license?

F**k that!

Did you forget that OS X is $129 for a single license, and it doesn't come with tech support?

 

[dsnort]

It's a retail license with support from Microsoft. Not that many copies are sold either. OEM is huge and upgrade is the major one for consumers.

Perhaps I was a little unclear, and extrapolating my personal circumstances in way to make you you think I was commenting on the deal at large. My bad.

The early order update pricing looks good, though I'm a little unclear on whether this pricing is "at large" or a limited number through certain sources.

Only, I don't have anything to update from. I am currently "Windows Free"! Adding Win 7 was mostly a whim, and an acknowledgement that I think it's a very good OS, judging from the RC I have installed. There's really nothing I need it for, and no compelling "must have" feature I can't live without.

Just to be clear.

 

[dsnort]

I don't think I've ever heard of show stopper activation issues that weren't caused by Microsoft itself.

??? And who else would they be caused by? Can you buy a MS OS without dealing with MS?

Did you forget that OS X is $129 for a single license, and it doesn't come with tech support?

Did you forget that for the price of a single license of a full copy of Win 7 you could 5 licenses of a full copy of OS X? It ought to come with Tech support! Preferably, english speaking tech support for people from english speaking nations.

Frankly, I've found the various Windows Forums more useful than than calling MS direct, and talking to someone speaking pidgin english and reading from a manual.

Of course, I've been without Windows for the last 4 years, so things might have changed.

 

[MTI]

A large discount on upgrade versions, but not full versions? Why not?

Ponder what the price Snow Leopard upgrade will be for Leopard owners, versus the retail copy of Snow Leopard?

 

[wesrk]

I will get the upgrade thing for my hp laptop, even though I have win 7 right now

 

[Eidorian]

I wonder if the upgrade license voids the license key of your previous version of Windows again. I want to move my Vista license onto another machine. I have plenty of XP licenses around though.

Clean install all the way.

 

[FX120]

I wonder if the upgrade license voids the license key of your previous version of Windows again. I want to move my Vista license onto another machine. I have plenty of XP licenses around though.

Clean install all the way.

It won't. Though legally you're breaking the EULA and could potentially be sued (very unlikely).

And I don't see what people are bitching about here. It's exactly what I was expecting, as this is what the pricing of XP was (if people here rember that far back).

$199 for home, $299 for pro, knock a $100 of that price if it's an upgrade.

Also, keep in mind that these are retail packages. If the price is too steep for you and you can live without the tech support, just buy an OEM version for less money.

And to the guy with a 100 computers to upgrade, what business purchases retail licences? If you're too small for a site licence, multiper-user packs are a much more economical way to go.

And of course, for all you *still* bitching about the price, why don't you just sign up for a TechNet membership, right now it's discounted to $249 (if you know the code), and includes "evaluation" copies of pretty much every piece of software Microsoft makes, including 1 licence each of all versions of Vista and XP, all the server packages, Office, and tons of other crap that you'll likely never use. The software never expires, and while there are some terms (no business use) the price is hard to beat.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/bb892756.aspx

 

[Eidorian]

Any word on OEM pricing yet? I managed to get a copy of Vista Ultimate for dirt cheap ages ago. It looks like the retail version as well.

I don't see a need for Windows 7 Ultimate. They finally got into their heads to make Professional a Home Premium + Business instead of forcing you to Ultimate.

 

[MacAndy74]

Any word on OEM pricing yet? I managed to get a copy of Vista Ultimate for dirt cheap ages ago. It looks like the retail version as well.

I don't see a need for Windows 7 Ultimate. They finally got into their heads to make Professional a Home Premium + Business instead of forcing you to Ultimate.

I'm still waiting for the promised Ultimate Extra's that Microsoft promised for my Windows Vista Ultimate. So I guess I shouldn't expect much really for my $400 AUD.

Really Windows 7 should be $9.95 for Windows Vista Ultimate customers.

 

[jaw04005]

Did you forget that OS X is $129 for a single license, and it doesn't come with tech support?

I'm not sure why this gets repeated all the time, but Mac OS X (a boxed copy) comes with 90 days of technical phone support just like every other Apple product.

"Your Mac OS X product comes with 90 days of complimentary telephone support."

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/Welcome_to_Leopard.pdf

Additional support is available after the 90 days for a nominal fee. This is in addition to the support you get with the Mac itself and under an AppleCare protection plan if you have one.

By the way, retail Microsoft products including the current Windows Vista packages only include 90 days of technical phone support also.

http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?&gprid=11712&

 

[applesith]

Oh boy...now I just might consider spending $100 to get two thirds of a complete mediocre OS!

Nah, I'll just stick with Snow Leopard for $29 and get all the features of a great OS.

I think the extra $70 is for all the viruses and spyware you can get....if you are very lucky!

 

[SkyBell]

It's not that complicated. There's a pre-release price for two of the three editions. There's a retail price for the three editions . And there's a price for three full installation editions. How is that confusing? Three editions is way better then what Vista was, and I think it's a good strategy.

 

[NovemberWhiskey]

Ok, so I plan on using Win7 on Bootcamp and VMware Fusion on my soon-to-be 17 MBP 3.06.

I will only have leopard on it installed when it comes; I will not have XP or Vista installed.

Can I get the upgrade versions of win7??

I do have some old computers with XP installed. Is there anyway to transfer that copy onto my new mbp, and then upgrade?

I cannot spend 199 just for win7 professional.

 

[jaw04005]

I think the extra $70 is for all the viruses and spyware you can get....if you are very lucky!

I know of no one that has had a virus or spyware since Windows Vista shipped some three years ago.

Not to mention, Microsoft now offers free anti-virus along with the already built-in free spyware tools that run practically transparently.

Let it go. It's just not true anymore.

Tip: If you're going to need more than one license, a Microsoft TechNet Plus Direct subscription that includes 10 keys for every versions of 7 and will include 10 keys for Office 2010 once it ships is available for around $249.

 

[mags631]

Tip: If you're going to need more than one license, a Microsoft TechNet Plus Direct subscription that includes 10 keys for every versions of 7 and will include 10 keys for Office 2010 once it ships is available for around $249.

Does paying $349 (new price) make you feel better about breaking the license agreement? The software is for evaluation purposes without time limitations.

 

[weckart]

Hmm. The European 'E' versions sans Internet Explorer are going for the standard exchange rate of $1=£1, and these are full versions, which apparently will not upgrade existing Vista installations. Fresh installation is required.

I stumped up for Ultimate so that I could get language packs. It will cost me another £199 to go over to Windows 7. The Technet Plus subscription at £234+VAT is looking better and better.

 

[jaw04005]

Does paying $349 (new price) make you feel better about breaking the license agreement? The software is for evaluation purposes without time limitations.

I'm not one to particularly care about the EULA, but for those who do care, have at it:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/cc294422.aspx