Well, that’s one lingering Windows 8 question answered.
On Friday, online retailer Newegg released a price list for standalone copies of Windows 8, and has started taking pre-orders, as spotted by ZDNet’s Ed Bott. Microsoft still hasn’t confirmed these prices, but some of the information does line up with what the company has announced so far.
Here’s the rundown from Newegg:
- $69.99 for DVD upgrades from Windows XP, Vista, or 7 to Windows 8 Pro (confirmed by Microsoft)
- $69.99 for a downloadable upgrade key
- $99.99 for standalone OEM version of Windows 8 (32-bit and 64-bit)
- $139.99 for standalone OEM version of Windows 8 Pro
Keep in mind that Microsoft is offering Windows 8 Pro upgrades for $40 through January 31, so unless you need a DVD to install it, you’re better off waiting until October 26 and buying directly from Microsoft.
There’s still some confusion on what the options are for users who build their own PCs or want to run Windows 8 on a virtual machine. The unofficial story is that Microsoft will replace the full retail version of Windows 8 with a System Builder version that’s fully legal for end users to install. Microsoft’s license terms apparently allow for transfers between machines on these System Builder versions, but Newegg says its OEM System Builder versions may not be transferred.
According to Forbes, Microsoft may spend over $1.5 billion on Windows 8 marketing. Some of that spending may be an attempt to get people to upgrade their software, but the bigger sales pitch will likely focus on all the new tablets and touch screen devices coming from PC makers. Pre-orders for these Windows 8 PCs and tablets are just getting started now.