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Windows 8 Upgrades Will Get More Expensive in February

By - Source: Windows Blog

Get ready for a price increase on Windows 8 upgrades starting February 1.

The official Windows blog confirms that Microsoft plans to pull the current upgrade cost for Windows 8 on January 31, 2013. That means consumers still have a little time left to upgrade their installation of Windows 7 or later to the new OS release before the prices skyrocket back up to $99.99 USD and more.

As it stands now, consumers can upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for just $39.99 USD via Windows.com, or purchase the upgrade DVD for $69.99 USD at supporting retail locations. For those who purchased an eligible Windows 7 PC between June 2nd and January 31st, 2013, the Windows Upgrade Offer charges only $14.99 for moving up to Windows 8 Pro.

"If you upgrade to the Windows 8 edition or buy a PC with the Windows 8 edition pre-installed and want to move to the Windows 8 Pro edition, you can purchase the Windows 8 Pro Pack (previously known as Windows Anytime Upgrade) directly within Windows 8 by going to the Start screen and typing 'Add Features to Windows 8' and at participating retailers for $69.99 MSRP (U.S.) until January 31st," Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc said on Friday.

For consumers running Windows 8 Pro that want Windows Media Center and DVD playback, they can add the Windows 8 Media Center Pack for free until January 31st, LeBLanc added.

Customers building their PC from scratch, looking to run the new OS in a Virtual Machine, or want to install the OS on a separate partition are suggested to purchase the Windows 8 edition or Windows 8 Pro edition OEM product known as "System Builder". Both are available online and at local retailers, he said.

Now for the bad news.

Here is the list of upgrade pricing set to take place on February 1, and it's not pretty compared to the cheap pricing Microsoft has offered so far:

* The Windows 8 Pro upgrade edition will be available online and at retail for $199.99 MSRP (U.S.).
* The Windows 8 upgrade edition will be available online and at retail for $119.99 MSRP (U.S.).
* The Windows 8 Pro Pack will cost $99.99 MSRP (U.S.).
* The Windows 8 Media Center Pack will cost $9.99 MSRP (U.S.).

If you're still procrastinating over upgrading to Windows 8, time is running out. Don't be scared – it's not the horrid monster critics have described since before its release. The new Modern UI isn't even the base OS despite what Microsoft has tried to sell. The desktop is still there – you just have to poke through the layer of square clouds (tiles) to access the familiar green pastures of your desktop residing below. The biggest change is the removal of the Start button, but the Start8 app can fix all that for a quick $5.

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Top Comments
  • 37
    billgatez , January 19, 2013 8:52 PM
    Sales in the toilet? Raise the price. F**kin GENIUS.
  • 28
    catbus1 , January 19, 2013 8:18 PM
    If Microsoft is going to start pushing out bi-yearly operating systems and expect me to consider purchasing them then the price needs to come down. There is literally nothing Windows 8 offers me as a desktop user over Windows 7 especially when Windows 7 came with Media Center for free and I use it a lot. Not only is the OS price stupid high for it's marginal upgrades and features but removing features previously and charging extra for them is ridiculous.
  • 26
    killerclick , January 19, 2013 8:23 PM
    Die, Metro, die

    Windows 7 until 2020
Other Comments
  • 25
    runningnak3d , January 19, 2013 8:10 PM
    Microsoft couldn't PAY me to use that crap OS. They want to use it on tablets and desktops, and it isn't good for either. Microsoft, recall the OS -- it is unusable.
  • 28
    catbus1 , January 19, 2013 8:18 PM
    If Microsoft is going to start pushing out bi-yearly operating systems and expect me to consider purchasing them then the price needs to come down. There is literally nothing Windows 8 offers me as a desktop user over Windows 7 especially when Windows 7 came with Media Center for free and I use it a lot. Not only is the OS price stupid high for it's marginal upgrades and features but removing features previously and charging extra for them is ridiculous.
  • 23
    besplatan , January 19, 2013 8:23 PM
    Yeah, the slower-than-Vistas adoption rate is going to get even worse. Windows 8 is a failure on so many levels, not only it didn't help Windows tablets and phones gain sales, it pissed off too many desktop users as well.
  • 26
    killerclick , January 19, 2013 8:23 PM
    Die, Metro, die

    Windows 7 until 2020
  • 0
    victorintelr , January 19, 2013 8:24 PM
    I personally like Windows 8 and installed it in a couple machines. The only problem I've had is with the drivers, more specifically with the Wacom drivers of my Thinkpad x230t. Actually and surprisingly the USB 3.0 drivers that come with Microsoft seem to work but I can't get the to work with the Intel ones and the tweaking. Yes, using only keyboard and mouse is a little harder but yu can get used to it. But Windows 8 is faster. All in all I think that the mistake microsoft did was to dissapear the start button, too early and in he wrong moment with so much cometition
  • 20
    A Bad Day , January 19, 2013 8:37 PM
    Eh, I'll wait for the next edition for Windows. Maybe it would fix W8's flaws just like W7 to Vista.
  • 37
    billgatez , January 19, 2013 8:52 PM
    Sales in the toilet? Raise the price. F**kin GENIUS.
  • 23
    p05esto , January 19, 2013 8:53 PM
    I wouldn't install Win8 on my 6 PCs if I was paid $100 for each PC to do so. Nope, it's total crap and heading in the wrong direction. More customization and personalization, not LESS. We're being forced into a dumbed down one-size-fits-all experience and it's horrible.

    It's like all modern browsers, half of the main navigation options are going away and you have to dig around just to get the "Home" button in place. How in the world does removing the home button help anyone? All of this lack of customization is killing me, who does the user testing on all of this crap, monkeys?
  • 18
    killerclick , January 19, 2013 9:17 PM
    p05estoHow in the world does removing the home button help anyone?


    I think browser creators know exactly how many people click the home button and how often. As for removing customization options, I firmly believe that's just a trend being forced by designers and "UI experts" who see dumbed down Apple products making huge bank, and they think it's the dumbing down that's the answer. Or Microsoft sees the success of the iPad and thinks putting touch on desktop is the answer. They're all missing the point.
  • 24
    TunaSoda , January 19, 2013 9:34 PM
    Marketing reverse psychology, everyone go out and buy it now quick!
    It's gonna be expensive! :p 
  • 21
    JohnUSA , January 19, 2013 9:45 PM
    I would not use the horrible, irritating and extremely poorly designed Windows 8 if Microsoft paid me.
    It is absolutely the worst OS I have ever used in my life.
    Windows 8 belongs in the sewer.
    Save you money and aggravation, do not buy this garbage new OS.
    Either get Windows 7 or wait for Windows 9, which we all hope that it will be a lot better than 8. Microsoft is rushing to release the new Windows 9 as they know that they laid a huge egg with Windows 8 as many users are hating it.
    You have been warned.
  • 17
    bak0n , January 19, 2013 10:04 PM
    Oh no. I better not hurry up and buy it then since I won't be buying it later either!
  • -8
    ELMO_2006 , January 19, 2013 10:43 PM
    I purchased the upgrade for 15 bucks and decided to try it via a dual boot setup via multiple drives with Windows 7. then the hardware upgrade came and had a tough time deciding to install Win7 or Win8 as the main OS. Went with the latter and never looked back. To make things easier for the wife I installed the Pokki For Windows 8 add-on which gives you back the Start button and some other extras - FREE!

    Time to purchase another copy but this time the upgrade for 40$CAD which is tons cheaper than my Retail Windows 7 Ultimate purchase of 350$CAD.
  • 10
    A Bad Day , January 19, 2013 10:44 PM
    billgatezSales in the toilet? Raise the price. F**kin GENIUS.


    Reality Distortion Field seems to be an unofficial side-effect of being put into the management of any businesses. Just look at the banking industry and Enron.
  • 20
    3ogdy , January 19, 2013 10:45 PM
    Oh my God, I'm running out of time! Wait. Are we dumb? Many weren't even going to ever consider downgrading to Windows 8, so why bother? Microsoft, you can ask for $1000 for Windows 8 Bullshit Edition (actually, I should add those 2 words - Windows 8 itself is bullshit), I'LL STICK TO SE7EN.
    Guess what : I'D RATHER MIGRATE TO A DIFFERENT OS INSTEAD OF GETTING WINDOWS 8. And f**k your performance improvements - they're useless if you make the interface UNUSABLE.
    So, you know what? The "Get it now, otherwise you'll pay extreme prices" doesn't work and it won't work with such a piece of shit that doesn't even deserve the name "Windows". Keep screwing us, Microsoft, if 7 is gonna be your last real operating system, I'll make sure I will never use ANY Microsoft product. Oh, and please send your "Windows phone" designers to hell - they're all idiots.

    Shall I sign with "A Microsoft fan" or....leave it like that, it's a shame for me to even think of your company. May your designers / design teams/ design engineers rest in piss.
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