by Shane O'Neill

Best Buy Memo Reveals Aggressive Windows 7 Pricing, Mocks Vista

Opinion
Jun 08, 20092 mins
Data Center

Windows 7 upgrade pricing discovered in a Best Buy memo is half the cost of Vista upgrades.

Word to the wise: If you’re thinking of buying a new computer, hold off for a few weeks.

A leaked memo from Best Buy posted by gadget blog Engadget on Friday outlines the retail chain’s plans for Windows 7 pricing, and I must admit, if the memo is accurate, the deals are pretty sweet.

Here are the details:

  • Starting June 26 and lasting until Windows ships on Oct. 22, any PC sold with Vista Home Premium, Business or Ultimate will get a free upgrade to Windows 7. Individual software purchases of Vista Home Premium, Business and Ultimate also qualify for the free upgrade.
  • Also starting June 26, Best Buy will start pre-selling Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade for $49.99 and the Windows 7 Professional upgrade for $99.99 on Bestbuy.com. This will be available on the Best Buy site for 16 days until July 11, 2009. The software will be shipped to the customer when Windows 7 ships on Oct. 22.

These prices come in at about half of similar upgrades for Vista, which list for $129.99 for a Vista Home Premium upgrade and $199.95 for Vista Business. Discounts at sites like Amazon usually knock off between $10 and $20. Though it’s unknown what Windows 7 pricing will be after this 16-day promotion, Microsoft is clearly paying attention to our grim economic conditions and offering deals. The first one starts June 26.

It’s worth noting that the Best Buy memo contains a strange and interesting nugget right in the first line. It refers to Windows 7 as “not just a ‘Vista that works’ program….” Who knows, this could have been a rough draft never intended for public viewing, but it seems pointless to beat the dead horse that is Vista in a formal company memo. Also, Best Buy is admitting that a product it has been selling to millions of people doesn’t actually work. Nice one.

Nevertheless, if this memo holds true, this is some aggressive pricing on Microsoft’s part, giving cash-strapped consumers and small business owners a little something to be happy about.

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