Windows 7 is great. Its price isn’t
I’m impressed with Windows 7. After running the beta for months I’ve discovered it’s everything Windows should be. Sure there are a few niggles – but that would be true of any plausible alternative.
I was so impressed I decided to buy the operating system upgrade. Imagine my surprise when I discovered Dick Smith lists the Windows 7 Ultimate and Professional upgrades at $499 each.
The price is ridiculous. The same Dick Smith has notebook computers with Windows 7 installed starting at $899 – that’s notebook not netbook.
OK. I understand the $899 might not ship with Windows 7 Professional – but that’s not the point. For just $400 more than the cost of a software upgrade I can have a spanking new, faster computer. The cheapest netbook on sale in New Zealand is $425 – just $25 more than the upgrade to Windows 7 Professional.
If I got to Digital Shop I can buy a desktop for just $487.64 with Windows 7 Professional installed.
That’s right. In effect I can pay just $87.64 for a new computer. It’s not that bad either.
So here are my choices:
1. Buy a new PC with Windows 7 Professional. Throw my existing, perfectly serviceable machine into a landfill. Have a better computer experience but stop sleeping at night because I’m destroying the planet.
2. Revert to Vista or XP. This costs nothing – but will give me a slightly more annoying computer experience than at present.
3. Look once again at Linux.
What would you do?
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What would I do? Order the Home Premium Family upgrade pack from England – three Home Premium upgrades for UKP 130 (approx $300).
Parsley72
4 Nov 09 at 1:57 pm
@Parsley72
Are UK Windows licenses transferable to NZ? Because I’ve got three PCs that could use it (actually I’ve got 4, but 3 will do).
Bill Bennett
4 Nov 09 at 2:06 pm
Far as I know. The same package was sold in the US.
Unfortunately it’s now listed on Amazon as “currently unavailable”. It may have been an introductory offer that’s gone now…
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Windows-Premium-Upgrade-Family/dp/B002MT21N6
http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Windows-Premium-Upgrade-Family/dp/B002MV2MG0
Parsley72
4 Nov 09 at 4:19 pm
Update:
A Tweeted message from Brett Roberts at Microsoft New Zealand points out the price of Windows 7 bundled with a PC is at the much lower OEM price. This is the price Microsoft uses when it sells bulk copies of software to PC makers.
Roberts also points out there are dealers offering upgrades at much lower prices than Dick Smiths. I shopped around and found I could get the software for approximately $340 at one dealer.
Bill Bennett
4 Nov 09 at 4:36 pm
Price Spy shows it cheaper than that:
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Eng (Upgrade) $189
http://pricespy.co.nz/product.php?p=482963
Still takes the p*ss when I’ve bought it at the equivalent of $100 per PC.
Parsley72
4 Nov 09 at 9:21 pm
If the Pricespy quote is for a legitimate copy of the software and the retailler is making a profit, then Dick Smith’s mark-up is something like 120 percent.
Bill Bennett
5 Nov 09 at 7:02 am
I’m shocked. No, really.
Parsley72
6 Nov 09 at 11:28 am
Microsoft are now selling the Windows 7 Family Pack in NZ, but only “while stocks last”. At $300 it’s about the same as the one I ordered from the UK – a definite bargain if you have a few PCs at home:
http://www.microsoft.com/nz/digitallife/software/windows7-family-pack.mspx
Parsley72
18 Dec 09 at 4:39 pm
[...] Windows 7 is great. Its price isn’t (billbennett.co.nz) [...]
Clean up that new PC at Bill Bennett
17 Jan 10 at 1:37 pm