Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade Cheaper for New PCs

News
By Marcus Yam
published

Picking up that netbook but not wanting to deal with that Starter Edition of Windows 7? Read this.

Are you not entirely happy with the limitations of the Windows 7 Starter or Home Premium of that new computer that you were thinking about buying? Microsoft today announced that discounts are on the way.

Starting next week, those who buy a new computer have the option of picking up an Anytime Upgrade Package at a discount. Microsoft's Windows community manager Brandon LeBlanc wrote in a blog post:

Many of our retailer partners are taking advantage of Windows Anytime Upgrade with a brand new offer that will start next week. Beginning April 4th at participating retailers, people who buy a new PC will have an opportunity to add Windows Anytime Upgrade to their purchase at a special low price. In the U.S.: * Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Home Premium ERP $49.99 (versus everyday price of $79.99) * Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional ERP $79.99 (versus everyday price of $89.99)This offer will be available at participating retailers and for a limited time only, (in the U.S. this offer will end July 3rd).

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
11 Comments Comment from the forums
  • mister g
    My question, why won't it end on July 4th? Something special about that day? Other than the fact that it's a national holiday?
    Reply
  • tpi2007
    Hmmm... but considering what you normally do on a netbook, I'd say paying to get a few features you actually will benefit and a lot of others that you won't, does not male financial sense.

    There are already free programs that allow you to change the desktop wallpaper, on of those programs even allows the same effect of changing it once in a while; there is alos a free Aero enabler, and for your DVD needs, just download the free VLC media player. There you have it.

    Windows Home Premium to Professional discounts though is a welcome addition, although it's just 10$. But hey, better than nothing, and comes with a XP license. I bet that is the main reason for the discount to be so little; and again, the reason for the Starter to Premium being so much bigger is probably because they realized they are not getting so many people upgrading as they thought, and probably becausue of all those free utilities that I talked about above.
    Reply
  • JohnnyLucky
    I would have preferred free upgrades for one year!
    Reply
  • velocityg4
    It's still too much. The difference in Win 7 Home Premium OEM and Professional OEM is $40.
    Reply
  • Regulas
    Windows 7 64bit Home Premium is what I will pick up (OEM) for my gaming rig, no need for professional at all. Dual boot it with my XP and I should nbe good to go for a while. That is until one day I am forced into buying a DX 11 card. By then I am hoping Open GL is back and I can just say no to the proprietary Direct X.
    Reply
  • it was nice when they had the student special for $29, you didn't even have to be a student and still got the rate.
    Reply
  • Gandalf
    Why can't a new computer come with the Home Premium version?
    Reply
  • Tindytim
    Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional ERP $79.99 (versus everyday price of $89.99)Home Premium OEM is 100$Ultimate OEM is 175$The difference being 75$, less than even the discounted price, and it's based on an even higher tier operating system.

    Thanks for the discount Microsoft!
    Reply
  • pojih
    student pricing is where its at

    40 for pro @ michigan state ,most big schools - same thing
    Reply
  • The_Prophecy
    Glad I have a TechNet subscription already, but nice to see them offering discounts like this, regardless.
    Reply