Windows 7 pricing, upgrade programs

Microsoft on Wednesday announced retail pricing for Windows 7 that's at or below comparable Windows Vista prices, also offering a chance for people to preorder the software at a large discount.

From Friday July 11, consumers in the U.S. will be able to buy an upgrade copy of Windows 7

Home premium for $49
Professional for $99.

That offer is good for both XP and Windows Vista PCs, regardless of whether someone has been trying out the pre-release version of the operating system.

The offer, however, is limited by duration and by the number of copies Microsoft is willing to sell, although Microsoft would not specify that figure.

When boxed copies of Windows 7 go on sale on October 22, Microsoft plans to charge

$119 for Home Premium,
$199 for Professional
$219 for Ultimate.

The full versions of Windows 7--the editions for those without a copy of Windows--will be priced at
$199 for Home Premium,
$299 for Professional
$319 for Ultimate.

The Ultimate and Professional editions are again priced similar to their Vista counterparts, while Home Premium is down from the $239 that Microsoft had charged with Vista.

(information courtesy of cnet)

 

Valuable information, It is time for someone to give us all a good rundown of the features and benefits of each version.

 

The basic rundown is as follow:

Windows 7® Home Premium

Windows 7 Home Premium offers a rich, dynamic entertainment experience on your PC, making it easy to create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music. You can even watch, pause, and rewind TV or record it to watch whenever and wherever you want.1

Features

Run your PC more efficiently

Pin any program to the taskbar: Any program is always just a click away – and you can rearrange the icons on the taskbar just by clicking and dragging.

Record TV on your PC

Record TV on your PC: Watch, pause, rewind, and record TV, movies, and other video content with Windows Media Center, updated to manage a single TV guide containing both standard and digital high definition TV shows.1

Easily connect a home network

Share files across the various PCs in your home: Use HomeGroup to connect your PCs running Windows 7 to a single printer. Specify exactly what you want to share from each PC with all the PCs in the HomeGroup.

Read here

Windows 7® Professional

Windows 7 Professional includes all the Home Premium features you love and the business features your work demands. Connect to company networks easily and more securely and share files across the various PCs in your home. In addition, you can run many Windows XP productivity programs in Windows XP Mode and recover your data easily with automatic back-ups to your home or business network.

Features

Run many existing Windows XP applications

Use XP Mode: Run many existing productivity and business programs designed for Windows XP – additional necessary software is available for download, free-of-charge from Microsoft.

Use BitLocker to better protect your files

Help prevent theft or loss of data: Use BitLocker and BitLocker To Go to better protect your valuable files – even on removable drives such as USB devices.

Recover your data with automatic backup

Automatically back up your files: Protect your data from user error, hardware failure, and other problems. You can back up your files to an external hard drive, secondary hard drive, writable CD or DVD, or to a network location.

Read Here.

Windows 7® Ultimate

Windows 7 Ultimate gives you everything Home Premium and Professional offers – plus added security features and the flexibility to work in multiple languages. Create a home network and share all of your favorite photos, videos and music. You can even watch TV programs for free, whenever and wherever you want.

Features

Better protect your computer data

Help prevent theft or loss of data: Use BitLocker and BitLocker To Go to better protect your valuable files – even on removable drives such as USB devices.

Easily access corporate network resources without VPN1

Get remote services with DirectAccess: Access corporate resources seamlessly when you’re on the Internet, without having to initiate a VPN connection.1

Work in the language of your choice

Work in the language of your choice: Switch between any of 35 languages as easily as logging off and back on again.

Read Here.

 

Correct me if I am wrong but reading that just makes me think that windows 7 is just an updated, repainted, and tidied up version of Vista.

and from what is said, and I have read I see nothing to intice me to spend $319 or £270 (guesstimate) to upgrade to Windows 7.

So applying a little logic and common sence I will be waiting for the next version (Windows8?) before upgrading my OS, till then It looks like my original plan of CPU, Mobo, new HDD, new GPU still stands.

and when all is done W8 should be on the horrizon. and Vista close to the unsupported list.

 

I tend not to get all excited about a new OS particularly because it really will not make much difference in how I use my computer.

At the prices guesstimated by Match I certainly would not jump. The prices announced in the original post to this thread seem far more realistic except that the basic version seems a bit useless to XP users and the 100% jump to the premium make it less attractive regardless of how it may be discounted from the ultimate retail price.

 

well you could get a deal on the price Beeceebee, but Microsoft obviously don't want to sell it in the UK, still thier again by the time they release the retail packages in the UK we will all have downloaded the preactivated versions from dodgey download sites just to have alook at it.

Marketing companies never cease to amaze me in how they get the public to part with there money just to have the latest product, that they know full well will be replaced in 12 to 24 mnths and then they can start all over again.

 

Windows 7 is the successor of Vista. There have been a lot of changes and modifications. What I listed is the basic rundown of what each of Windows 7 are.

As you stated above you don't have to spend $319 for Windows 7. The upgrade is $49 and $99. I'll send you a copy ! (wink) The upgrade will work perfectly well for a clean install. But M$ is only selling an undisclosed amount of these upgrades so everyone who wants one better hurry and jump on the bandwagon!

You may be waiting a very long time and I don't believe that you will see upgrade prices like these.

Windows Xp will be supported until at least 2011. What makes you think that M$ can afford to not support Vista much longer? Just because they are offering new Vista owners of computers purchased in July a free upgrade come October?

That would be the only logic that I see behind thinking that M$ wouldn't support Vista for much longer. However they can't afford to NOT support Vista because there are just too many users of it out there.

 

Peronsally I don't think very highly of the new OS and see no point in it. Yes, it may have one or two semi decent improvements but I see nothing wrong with Vista, having never had a single problem with it that puts it below par.

For those reasons, plus the rediculous pricing put on it, I will not be buying the new OS anytime in the near future, or even the late future to be honest. Why try fix what isn't broken?

 

Ok I think that I need to explain my previous post a little more clearly.

At the moment my poor little overclocked AMD dual core CPU is coping admirally with its work load, however Next year (Financies allowing, apparently suggesting that CPU's are more important than washing machines and baths are just as good, is not a good thing to say when the wife asks for a new washing machine) I intend to upgrade to a quad core CPU, and a newer Mobo. and some where another HDD, and better GPU will sneak onto that list, then in my opinion making it worth while upgrading my OS. O' yes nearly forgot the wife wants a new pc building as well, which will probably end up running Windows 7.

Now as to why I will probably end up waiting for the next version of windows, works on the principal that XP was released in Oct 2001, Vista was released from Nov 2006 through to Jan 2007, 5 years, Windows 7 is being release Oct 2009, 2 years. and I'm sure that I have read somewhere that Microsoft is commiting itself to releasing a new OS every 3 years, but I'll be damned if I can find the article again, so that would mean that the next OS should be on the horizon around 2012. and will probably require a new PC upgrade to run it.

 

I clearly missed the point that the prices offered are for US users only. We are an international forum and Match is in the UK and should be offended by the offer.

The breakdown of features for each of the options is welcomed. It is a good reference point but clearly part of the advertising scheme.

What we need is a good solid review from actual users as to the relative benefits from using the OS itself. Frankly I can see nothing that indicates why I should spend any money to make the changeover.

 

If your an XP user here is a good reason to upgrade.

On April 14, 2009, Microsoft plans to cut off mainstream support for Windows XP and Office 2003. both will have Extended support, which will last until 2014, although the updates provided for the two products will be less diversified.

Mainstream support gives fixes for security patches and other bug fixes to everyone.

Extended support delivers security updates to all users, but non-security hot fixes are to be provided only to companies that have signed support contracts (purchase of Extended Hotfix Support Agreement and per-fix fees) with Microsoft.

Self-help online support will continue to be available for at least 12 months after the product reaches the end of its supported life.

and the Main reason the Wife's new computer will probably have Windows 7 on it, apart from the fact she's not Daft and that's why I'm not getting a new computer with windows 7 on it, an she's not getting my old box.

 

You want a more specific breakdown? Here it is:

It’s more secure. People want a more secure OS. If you use Windows 7 with Microsoft Security Essentials, then you’re safe and sound. It also provides built in security enhancements and a refined UAC. But you have to take into account peoples bad surfing habits.

It’s faster. On recent hardware, it outperforms Windows XP. It’s not just a claim, it’s proven.

It stays out of your way. With the new notifications system, and the improved system tray, built in and even third party applications won’t be able to harm your productivity.

The Superbar. Improves multitasking in certain scenarios and provides better handling of multi-windowed applications.

Built in troubleshooters. Windows 7 is smart. If it detects problems with your performance it’ll automatically help you diagnose the issue instead of Googling around on the Internet.

Better looking games. This is for all you gamers out there. With DirectX 11, you’ll not only get prettier graphics, but also improved frame rates.

Windows Media Center. This alone is a solid reason for many people to upgrade to Windows 7.

Easy networking via Homegroup. You can easily discover and share media over your home network. You can provide different access rights to users with just a right click. You can even access your home media over the Internet through other Windows 7 computers. No extra software/installation is needed.

Customization and personalization features. You can make Windows 7 reflect your personality with themes and glass colors. I like this one.

Windows Touch. Multi-touch capabilities are built right into the OS and bundled applications.

 

Thank You !

 

You're welcome.

 

I am running the windows 7rc, And I really like it compared to xp or vista, I will get it for sure when it comes out. I really like alot of the new features, It is really easy to do just about anything you want to do. it is really just a easy button for windows vista and runs much better.

 

Thanks so much to all of you for clarifying everything! I'd been more than a tad baffled by 'should I or shouldn't I' upgrade and at least now I can make an educated decision.

So many of the independent programs I work with may not run properly on the new Windows 7 apparently - so, being a miser at heart when it comes to upgrades, I'm going to keep my Windows XP Media Center as long as the security programs I use keep offering updates that will work with my system.

Again, thanks for not just providing all this great info but for writing it so it makes sense to a non-tech!

 

Match,

The best source to find information on Windows 7 is from the source themselves -- Microsoft. Microsoft does have a site with whitepapers, tutorials, walkthroughs and screen casts on all the “under the hood” features in Win 7. Check out the Springboard site for Windows 7 on TechNet here Windows 7 RC | Support, Deployment, Resources

There are several drastic changes from Windows Vista to Windows 7 including speed, performance and security. By checking out Windows 7 on TechNet you will be able to see how Win 7 can better serve you.

Jessica
Microsoft Windows Client Team

 

Thanks for Information Jessica, I will have to add it to my Bookmarks for future reference.