Windows 8.1 will be officially released in a month on October 18, 2013 (that's actually 12:00 AM on October 18 in New Zealand, so 4:00 AM PT, 7:00 AM ET on October 17 or noon on October 17 in the UK). Those who are already running Windows 8 will receive the upgrade to 8.1 for free, but those on Windows 7 and below will need to pay for the pleasure to use the new Start Screen. Microsoft earlier this week revealed that customers in the U.S. could expect to pay $119.99 for Windows 8.1 and $199.99 for Windows 8.1 Pro. But what about the UK?
According to Crave, Windows users in the UK will pay £75 for Windows 8.1 or £125 for the professional version of the software. Of course, if you already have Windows 8 on your computer, you can upgrade for free, just like in the States. If you're looking to go from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 Pro, you'll have to pay a £62 upgrade cost.
If you're making the jump from Windows 7, you will have to reinstall desktop apps such as Office. Those upgrading from Windows XP and Vista will have to start clean as files, settings, and programs will not transfer. Furthermore, Microsoft recommends those upgrading from XP or Vista to purchase a retail boxed copy and perform a clean install.
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