A leaked Best Buy memo was spot on in revealing Windows 7 upgrade prices, and Microsoft has officially filled in the blanks today.
As stated in the memo, leaked to Engadget in early June, pre-orders for Windows 7 start tomorrow. Those who pre-purchase an upgrade between then and July 11 will pay $49 for Windows 7 Home Premium and $99 for Professional. Anyone who buys a new computer with Windows Vista after pre-orders begin will get a Windows 7 upgrade for free.
Two caveats, though: The offer is limited to an unspecified number of copies sold, and it's only available at specific retailers including Best Buy, Office Depot, OfficeMax, Costco, Staples, Wal-Mart and directly through Microsoft.
Owners of Windows PCs who don't pre-order the new operating system can upgrade to Home Premium for $119, Professional for $199 and Ultimate for $219. The full, boxed retail version will cost $199 for Home Premium, $299 for Professional and $319 for Ultimate.
Europe is getting an interesting deal. Because the operating system will only ship as a special "E" version that doesn't include Internet Explorer, users will have to perform a clean installation. As a result, full versions will be available at upgrade prices. Corporate Vice President Brad Brooks told CNet this will keep the European version on time for an October 22 launch in some countries.
By October 31, the operating system should be available globally.
The best news here is that the pre-order deals are available to Windows XP owners, so people who shied away from Vista won't have to pay for that arguably wise decision. Who's planning on upgrading instead of waiting until their next computer?
