[Super rumor] Windows 7 pricing

Robert Hallock (Thrax)

February 6, 2009 12:49 PM ET in News, , ,

windows7ArsTechnica is reporting that they have received details of Windows 7’s price schemes courtesy of an unverified tipster. While these pricepoints are quite probably spurious (grab your salt shaker), this is a topic that is sure to garner considerable discussion.

Now, without further ado, here is the rumored pricing for Windows 7 editions (not the upgrade versions):

  • Windows 7 Starter: $199
  • Windows 7 Home Premium: $259
  • Windows 7 Professional: $299
  • Windows 7 Ultimate: $319

What do you think about these rumored prices? What would you pay for your chosen edition of Windows 7?

UPDATE @ 2:40 PM EST:

ArsTechnica has since retracted the source material for this entry, so all that remains is what we’ve quoted above. Their decision to quell their update should remind all of us that these are just rumors to be taken with great skepticism. It’s important to keep in mind that Microsoft is hardly finished with the development of Windows 7, and is a great deal of time away from announcing a pricing structure. We have decided to retain this post only to foster discussions about consumer opinion on an acceptable MSRP.

42 Comments:

  1. Buddy J
    6 Feb '09, 5:53 pm

    Too high.

  2. Thrax
    6 Feb '09, 5:55 pm

    Agreed. Let's talk $150. How about $99?

  3. Zuntar
    6 Feb '09, 5:56 pm

    ^^ Exactly what I was thinking ^^

    No way would I pay that much.

  4. MiracleManS
    6 Feb '09, 5:57 pm

    A few things would deter me.

    If they only offer XP users a "fresh install" price option, instead of the ability to simply upgrade, that would be flat out stupid.

    Also with you on the prices being too high. I'd like to see them start at $99 for 7 Starter and go up to $299 for 7 Ultimate.

  5. Snarkasm
    6 Feb '09, 6:02 pm

    Only $20 difference between Pro and Ultimate. Hmm.

  6. AlexDeGruven
    6 Feb '09, 6:14 pm

    The lower-end (starter and home basic) seem really high, but Ultimate sounds pretty reasonable when compared with Vista.

    If the upgrade price isn't significantly less than the full install, a lot of Vista Ultimate buyers are going to be pretty pissed.

  7. kryyst
    6 Feb '09, 6:23 pm

    For the record you can buy an upgrade edition if you are on XP. However you can't do an upgrade install from XP, you have to do a clean install. But you can buy the upgrade version at the upgrade version pricing.

  8. Lincoln
    6 Feb '09, 6:34 pm

    I look at Creative Suite 4 Design, and see the price sticker is $1800 (upgrade $600). I consider that steep but not unreasonable. So, it's hard for me to complain about the operating system being $300, though it certainly isn't going to help their anti-piracy efforts or stem the flow of people switching to Mac. Personally, I feel my Windows days may be numbered.

  9. Thrax
    6 Feb '09, 6:46 pm

    You think $1800 isn't unreasonable? Wow.

  10. MiracleManS
    6 Feb '09, 6:54 pm

    ^ this

  11. QCH
    6 Feb '09, 7:25 pm

    Windows 7 Standard = $50
    Add-on:
    Home = $50
    Pro = $100
    Ult = $150

    That's my price plan....

  12. Your Friendly Neighborhood Computer Guy
    6 Feb '09, 7:37 pm

    Looks like arstechnica took down the article because it was annonymous and not one of their trusted sources. I would take these prices with a HUGE grain of salt. Like, a boulder of salt.

  13. Thrax
    6 Feb '09, 7:39 pm

    Grab your saltshaker!

  14. GnomeWizardd
    6 Feb '09, 7:50 pm

    Id pay 125 for home

  15. Buddy J
    6 Feb '09, 8:05 pm

    I wanna be a baller like Keebs.

  16. Blue_Dog
    6 Feb '09, 10:07 pm

    I do not think I would pay for the license, It is too expensive. however, Bill not getting poor if I do not pay, but he not getting richer if I pay, so why bother! lol

    in my experience, the new generation of Windows contains lots of BuGs like Win' Me, and another version is Vista, many end users complaint about it, event an IT support like me, I feel I am lost sometime, It take me time to find out what I need

    lol

  17. Your Amish Daddy
    6 Feb '09, 10:09 pm

    I'd pay 200 for the one that gives me the best memory and disk performance.

  18. mas0n
    6 Feb '09, 10:10 pm

    Should be:

    Starter: $99
    Home Premium: $149
    Professional: $199
    Ultimate: $249

    That would be a bit more reasonable. I would have no problems dropping $200 for a full copy of 7 Pro. Also, most of us have no reason to buy a full copy, upgrades would be fine assuming you can upgrade from both XP and Vista and without them being installed (just providing the CD for proof of ownership, as you could do in the past).

  19. chrisWhite
    7 Feb '09, 1:11 am

    Here's what it should be IMHO:

    Windows 7 $99 or, at most, $149

    It's stupid the way it's setup with Vista, it should be a cheap upgrade that let's you launch off into other MS products and not be just about the OS.

    This is coming from someone who bought full, legit versions of both Ultimate and Home Premium for my two machines, for what it's worth.

  20. CB
    7 Feb '09, 1:14 am

    It should all be free. I mean, if we're going to dream, we might as well dream, mirite?

    Microsoft knows that almost every company will have to buy this product for almost every desk eventually, so we'll pay whatever they think they can get away with without another anti-trust lawsuit.

  21. GnomeWizardd
    7 Feb '09, 1:39 am

    honestly they it should be 100 bucks for the Home if you prove you have a valid vista key, since vista is crap

  22. Snarkasm
    7 Feb '09, 2:05 am

    Except for when it's not.

  23. Blue_Dog
    7 Feb '09, 3:00 am

    why don't you people try Linux

    it is free

  24. chrisWhite
    7 Feb '09, 3:30 am

    Linux is cool and I have tried it and I'll give it another go soon but it just can't take the place for my day to day OS. I need all my media production tools like Adobe CS3/4, Modo, Mudbox, Zbrush, etc. I also like my games and most of them don't run (or run well) on Linux.

  25. Blue_Dog
    7 Feb '09, 12:06 pm

    I agree with you ChrisWhite,

    there is limitation on Linux systems, there is not enough software application for us to do our jobs while Microsoft keep release new version of windows for every 2 or 3 years

    you may awareness there is relationship between software and computer hardware, if we have old hardware such as P1 1.4GHz CPU, 1GB Ram would you reckon it is good for install windows XP and office XP?

    I do not think it is good ideas because I found end users complaint about performance when they working office documents, the screen may freeze while they scroll up and down the page

    so how often do you upgrade windows? do you buy new PC?

    I, myself, I would not do that,

    Cheers

  26. Komete
    7 Feb '09, 4:50 pm

    The copy of vista I'm running is an upgrade. I'm wondering if I can upgrade from an upgrade to win7?

    Of course it'll be hearsay until it is released but I'm thinking I will.

    They left that back door in vista where you could buy an upgrade dvd and install the whole thing. It would probably work with win7 too.

  27. Your Amish Daddy
    7 Feb '09, 4:52 pm

    Pentium 1 1.4ghz? Wait wait wait....What? I never got a Pentium 1 over 150mhz.

    Anyway, I hit the new OSes whenever I can snag a copy either cheap or cheap as free. I almost want to call Blue a troll, because obviously this discussion is about the rumored pricing on 7, not the validity of Linux as a user-friendly and compatible OS.

  28. Blue_Dog
    7 Feb '09, 9:20 pm

    sorry Your Amish Daddy, I mean P4 1.4GHz

  29. Blue_Dog
    8 Feb '09, 1:09 am

    I am thinking, when a new generation of Windows come, the new PC will be needed or old computer will be out of date if they are not upgraded like over clocking, new RAM added, or replace new motherboard.

    while small damn linux still capable to work with any kind of old PC, doesn't mean old is useless, right? hehe

  30. Thrax
    8 Feb '09, 1:12 am

    No.

  31. Blue_Dog
    8 Feb '09, 1:53 am

    yes

  32. Snarkasm
    8 Feb '09, 2:02 am

    Windows 7 is running on my laptop right now. It runs on old hardware. It runs on netbooks. It will not require a new computer.

  33. Blue_Dog
    8 Feb '09, 2:08 am

    what is its performance? still going quick or slow? I am really curious

  34. =MBG= De Sniper
    8 Feb '09, 6:46 am

    too high bring down the prices
    * Windows 7 Starter: $99
    * Windows 7 Home Premium: $119
    * Windows 7 Professional: $129
    * Windows 7 Ultimate: $149

  35. Snarkasm
    8 Feb '09, 7:02 am

    lol, $149.

  36. DrLiam
    8 Feb '09, 8:15 am
    Quoting CB

    It should all be free. I mean, if we're going to dream, we might as well dream, mirite?

    Microsoft knows that almost every company will have to buy this product for almost every desk eventually, so we'll pay whatever they think they can get away with without another anti-trust lawsuit.

    This.

  37. Blue_Dog
    8 Feb '09, 10:36 am
    too high bring down the prices
    * Windows 7 Starter: $99
    * Windows 7 Home Premium: $119
    * Windows 7 Professional: $129
    * Windows 7 Ultimate: $149

    ha ha ...................... I want it to be free Sir!

  38. Mike Gee
    8 Feb '09, 10:49 am

    These prices seem too high to me.

  39. juice4dman
    9 Feb '09, 9:49 pm

    Best quote of the recent Microsoft Giant" Bill Gates is once again releasing bugs into the world" Sorry if I butchered that.

  40. Blue_Dog
    10 Feb '09, 12:42 am

    YES it is true

  41. Blue_Dog
    10 Feb '09, 5:30 am

    I installed Fedora 10 on my "old" GA-SIMLP 1.4GHz 512MB + 256MB Ram

    I am happy, it working so well

  42. nicksr1125
    18 Oct '09, 10:57 am

    The cheap way to get Win 7 is to get a Technet subscription from Ol' Bill. The stated price is $349.00. If you look around, you can find a promo code that still works and get anywhere from 20-25% off. It gives you 10 licenses for almost anything MS publishes including all versions of Windows, Server 2003, 2008, & Office 2003 & 2007 and lots more. The renewal is $249.00 annually but you're still getting all the "stuff". If you don't renew and wait until the next version of Windows comes out, you've still got 10 personal licenses to use until you do your next OS upgrade.

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