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Microsoft up until now has confirmed the upgrade pricing for the operating system during an initial promotional phase that lasts until January 31. Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 users can buy a Windows 8 Pro upgrade for $39.99 in that period, or pay $14.99 if they have bought a PC with Windows 7 from an eligible manufacturer from June 2 to January 31, 2013.
What has not been revealed until now is the pricing for upgrades after that promotional period, pricing for the full retail copy of the operating system and for OEM licensing.
According to Tom Warren, Microsoft will offer the full retail version of Windows 8 Pro for $69.99 during a promotion phase that is ending on January 31, 2013 with all the other promotional offers. Afterwards, the operating system will be available for $199. If you compare the price to Windows 7, you will notice that you get the pro version of Windows 8 for the price of Windows 7 Home Premium, and not the comparable Windows 7 Professional version.
An upgrade from Windows 8, the regular version of the operating system, to Windows 8 Pro will be available for $69.99 during the promotional phase, and increase to $99.99 afterwards.
To sum it up:
The pricing has not been confirmed yet by Microsoft and needs to be taken with a grain of salt until that happens. We are still waiting for pricing confirmation for upgrades after the promotional period, for the regular Windows 8 edition, and pricing for OEM versions of the operating system.
Most users interested in the new operating system will likely use one of the promotional offers to grab a copy of the operating system, even if they do not install or upgrade their PCs right away. The majority of sales afterwards are probably coming from PC hardware sales that come with Windows 8 included, and not from retail sales, since many PC users may prefer to buy a much cheaper Windows 7 retail copy instead.
Ghacks is a technology news blog that was founded in 2005 by Martin Brinkmann. It has since then become one of the most popular tech news sites on the Internet with five authors and regular contributions from freelance writers.
Can the upgrade be burned to a DVD or USB stick? I’d hate to pay $70 just to have a hard copy and packaging for the garbage, when I can back it up myself.
Yes you can burn it to DVD or put it on a USB stick.
Fantastic! I’m looking forward to upgrading. Win 8 runs well on my MSI 110w tablet. :)
I already have the Windwos 8 RTM on my second desktop PC and it is running quite ok there too.
MS needs users to install Windows 8 more than users want to install Windows 8. If the initial promo doesn’t meet expectations (X amount of upgrade installs) I wouldn’t be surprised if they extended the promo.
I was considering Win 8 for an XBMC media center but when I discovered that kiosk mode was the only way to boot XBMC into full screen I immediately restored my Win 7 backup.
Windows has always been an easy to use and relatively flexible OS. Too bad Windows 8 is neither.
Reminds me the Mad Magazine : Our price, $69.99, cheap!
I feel, hum, attracted :) Much less at $199!
I know that my remark is a bit off-topic but nevertheless: Who is giving a flying fuck? Me not…!!!!
This will sell like hot cakes for Christmas. Just don’t get me one.
Does the downgrade in the price of the Windows operating system mean that the brand name is losing relevancy? (…oh yeah that’s right, I forgot – the ongoing global economic collapse).
exempli gratia – The Windows operating system brand isn’t worth now what it was worth 3 years ago.
I payed a heap-load for Windows Vista when it first came out, I thought twice
(or not at all) before purchasing the subsequent Windows OS at the same price and haven’t done so ever since! I’m sorry Microsoft, I want Windows 8, I really do and I will get it, I just don’t have the money to invest in it, you know. (^◡^)
Please don’t call me a cheapskate even if it is only at $70.