Microsoft announces Windows 7 pricing
Are you excited for the day Microsoft Windows 7 officialy drops but afraid of the potentially huge dent that it might put in your wallet? Well, at least the mystery is now over as Redmond has finally made its 7 pricing official. Those of you planning to upgrade from XP or Vista to Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional or Ultimate will have need to come up with $119.99, $199.99 or $219.99 respectively, while those who opt for a brand new retail copy will have to part with $199.99, $299.99 or $319.99. If that’s too rich for your blood, don’t resign yourself to piracy just yet — limited pre-orders start tomorrow with Home Premium upgrades running $49.99 and Professional upgrades coming in at $99.99. More good news: If you absolutely need to replace a dying computer ASAP, you should feel pretty good because nearly everyone who buys a new Windows computer as of tomorrow should be able to get a free upgrade to Windows 7 (although we must caution you that not all manufacturers are participating in this program). Thoughts on the pricing, kids?
Honestly I’m disappointed, but not surprised.
What if I’m running Vista 32bit currently and want to go to Win7 64bit? I realize you can’t directly go from 32 to 64, but I can’t get to Vista 64bit, so what are my options?
Who cares! … as long as 7 is wayyyy better than Vista!!!!
geez thats expensive
Cheaper than a damn iPhone and it is an entire OS.
Here come all the stupid comments on how “bad Windows is”
expensive as heckk! im a student how about throw us a bone
Yippe, home for moms, pro for me.
First of all, BRAVO to Microsoft for consolidating the Windows 7 lineup. 3 versions for 3 clear needs and 3 clear markets. And while I don’t really agree with the way Microsoft has been responding to Apple’s snarky advertising, Windows 7 is probably the best version of Windows I’ve ever used in my life.
I’ve been floored with how phenomenal a product it is. But the pricing is kinda irrelevant to me, since I’m on a single core 32 bit computer. I’m gonna buy a new laptop next summer, when my Windows 7 RC is scheduled to stop working.
I used to be certain that I would be getting a Mac but I’m so impressed with Windows 7, that is no longer a certainty.
Upgrade for $50.
MS usually has seperate student prices as well.
Did anyone expect anything different?
Also wait around for a little while until OEM pricing comes out.
Non-Upgrade Vista Premium OEM edition is $99 at newegg. Obviously much cheaper than the retail price.
Holy crap!!! Until the price come down to Earth, I’ll stick with my Mac OS upgrades that are only $89. I have the Intel Macs so, I’d like to add windows, but just too expensive!
So far I have loved the beta, but I don’t know if I $219 love it. Maybe $99 for Ultimate, maybe. But that means I have to pre-order tomorrow, and just how “limited” is the pre-ordering?
@Shaggy
The Mac upgrades at $89 are “down to earth” but Home Premium upgrade, which will have everything most people will need, at $119 is really expensive? That is only $30 more and considering that Microsoft makes all their money off of software and not hardware (AND PC hardware is cheaper in the first place), what is the big deal?
The pricing is reasonable. The overwhelming majority of people never buy windows at full retail, they either get it on new computers or upgrade/oem purchase (nevermind businesses that have there own discounts). Wish M$ would offer some kind of family pack, my family has 2 netbooks on xp, one xp mce, and 5 laptops on vista and based on the rc I’d put 7 home premium and/or business on all of them if the price was right.
@Shaggy: I wasn’t aware that $89 was cheaper then $50. Must be some of that apple math I keep seeing.
@ Josh
You’re right on the money! I would love if M$ would took your suggestion.
Wasn’t upgrade to snow leopard 29$?
Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone).
The upgrade to Snow Leopard is $29, not $89.
The pricing isn’t too bad but it could’ve been better to compete with Apple’s pricing. As a TechNet subscriber I never have to worry about Microsoft software but I can definitely feel the pain for home consumers that had to deal with Vista – which wasn’t bad but it wasn’t great either.
Windows 7 is great and people who buy it will definitely be happy!
Posted from BGR Mobile (iPhone).
After using Leopard for 2 years and with Snow Leopard on the way…. Microsoft had better put some polish on Win 7 for people to feel happy paying those prices, especially Vista adopters who had no choice.
If you only use Windows and you think you should stick to XP – well Win 7 is far and away better than XP. But I run Leopard and Win7 and Windows is still painful as hell to use, and I’m sorry to say but Mac stole the best new innovation (the garbage that is Aero peek) and turned it into a better Expose.
Upgrade your Windows, stop using XP, Win 7 is a necessary upgrade. But if you want to use a genuinely good OS – not just some bells and whistles added to a fundamentally crappy platform – do yourself a favour and switch to Mac.
I think Windows 7 should be a free upgrade to anyone that was conned into Vista or anyone who has since downgraded from Vista to XP. Seriously, Windows 7 is a friggin Vista bugs fix, are at least everyone hopes so…
I am running RC1 now and I love. MS did a great job with the OS.
Another site ( I think it was gizmodo or engadget) has similar story, BUT…BUT…. the ultimate version is supposedly NOT included in the pre-order discount buys. The only ones that are included are the first two ( Home and professional). Sad for me as in my case I’m using Vista Ult x64, and happen to really enjoy the system. I’m using Win 7 Ult RC x64 on my laptop for right now, and it seems that it runs smoother than vista (that might just be me). That’s for now. I’m really interested in seeing the finished product.
So again, just my little 2 cents, if the other site is right, all those out there awaiting Win 7 Ultimate will/might be out of luck on this pre-order. Hopefully wrong, and they will include it, but let’s see.
i havent used 7 yet…how much better is it than vista???
score for apple and snow leopard’s $29 upgrade!