Microsoft has finally unveiled its pricing plans for Windows 7. The operating system will launch on October 22nd, and here's what you can expect to pay:
The US retail prices for Windows 7 upgrade editions - eligible to users of previous versions of Windows - are as follows:
- Windows 7 Home Premium (Upgrade): $119.99
- Windows 7 Professional (Upgrade): $199.99
- Windows 7 Ultimate (Upgrade): $219.99
The US retail prices for full packaged retail versions of Windows 7 are:
- Windows 7 Home Premium (Full): $199.99
- Windows 7 Professional (Full): $299.99
- Windows 7 Ultimate (Full): $319.99
In the UK, the retail price for upgrade editions of Windows 7 are:
- Windows 7 Home Premium (Upgrade): £79.99
- Windows 7 Professional (Upgrade): £TBC
- Windows 7 Ultimate (Upgrade): £TBC
In comparison, the Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade is $10 cheaper than Windows Vista. Despite many hoping that Microsoft would slash pricing in response to the global economic crisis, both Professional and Ultimate edition pricing remains unchanged.
Instead, Microsoft will be offering discounts as part of a pre-order promotion. Customers in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, France and Japan will be able to save up to 50 per cent or more on standard retail pricing with pre-orders placed between specific dates.
The US and Canada pre-order promotion runs between June 26th and July 11th. For the UK, Germany and France, pre-orders need to be placed between July 15th and August 14th.
Microsoft adds that promotional pricing will vary per country, and will be available while stocks last from the Microsoft Store or select online retailers such as Amazon.
In regards to European "E" editions, Microsoft has revealed that the browser-less version of Windows 7 offers no means of upgrading from Windows Vista, and upgrade editions consequently won't be offered in Europe. Instead, European customers will be treated to full packaged retail versions without Internet Explorer at upgrade pricing.
It has also been suggested by some that the "E" editions do not apply to the UK, but we await further confirmation from Microsoft on that one. In keeping with Redmond tradition, the software giant's pricing announcement is about as complicated as it could be - and there's little-to-no clarification of multi-user licenses.
We've been mighty impressed by Windows 7 as a product, but Microsoft's pricing and marketing may be its downfall. Apple's $29 upgrade to a single edition of Snow Leopard now seems heavenly simple.
*Update* Further details are now available here: Making sense of Microsoft's Windows 7 pricing and promotions
