Windows 7 availability and launch-day pricing examined

Unless you’ve been living under a large rock for most of 2009, it won’t have escaped your attention that Microsoft is launching Windows 7 today. We’ve looked at deployment, user interface, media interface, networking and security, and applications. Now we turn our attention to pricing.

Correct as of 13:20 on October 22, 2009, here’s the current pricing of the three consumer editions (64-bit) – Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate – at seven UK etailers. For users requiring a clean-install Windows 7, launch-day pricing varies considerably for the Home Premium pack. A far cry from the £45 that some, including yours truly, paid a few months ago on pre-order, there are no standout bargains right now – at least from these (r)etailers.

Scan and CCL Online’s pricing is good for Home Premium, and most etailers report having plentiful stock. A few are selling a three-license Family Pack for £129.99, we note.

Professional and Ultimate editions are priced far more consistently. Stock of Professional is reasonable, but a few etailers are pointing to week-long lead times for the Ultimate edition. – Unless you’ve been living under a large rock for most of 2009, it won’t have escaped your attention that Microsoft is launching Windows 7 today. We’ve looked at deployment, user interface, media interface, networking and security, and applications. Now we turn our attention to pricing.

Correct as of 13:20 on October 22, 2009, here’s the current pricing of the three consumer editions (64-bit) – Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate – at seven UK etailers. For users requiring a clean-install Windows 7, launch-day pricing varies considerably for the Home Premium pack. A far cry from the £45 that some, including yours truly, paid a few months ago on pre-order, there are no standout bargains right now – at least from these (r)etailers.

Scan and CCL Online’s pricing is good for Home Premium, and most etailers report having plentiful stock. A few are selling a three-license Family Pack for £129.99, we note.

Professional and Ultimate editions are priced far more consistently. Stock of Professional is reasonable, but a few etailers are pointing to week-long lead times for the Ultimate edition. – Hexus

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