Microsoft put up a Q&A on PressPass with Brad Brooks. He's the CVP of Windows Consumer Product marketing, and he announced that Microsoft is dropping the price of retail-packaged product (RPP) versions of Windows Vista when the SP1 version hits the shelves in a few weeks. From the interview:
PressPass: What did you announce today?
Brooks: Today we announced a variety of price reductions for copies of Windows Vista sold on retail shelves. In developed markets, the price changes will most notably impact upgrade retail versions of the new editions we introduced in 2007 -- Windows Vista Home Premium and Ultimate editions. In emerging markets, we are combining full and upgrade Home Basic and Home Premium versions into full versions of these editions and instituting price changes to meet the demand we see among first-time Windows customers who want more functionality than is available in current Windows XP editions. In addition, we are also adjusting pricing on Windows Vista Ultimate in emerging markets to be comparable to price changes developed market customers will see.
These price changes will take effect globally with the retail release of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 later this year, though some markets will see reduced prices sooner as a result of promotions many of our partners already are driving, such as Amazon.com in the United States.
Ina fried at News.com has the details. Windows Vista Ultimate drops 27% from $299 to $219, and Home Premium drops 19% from $159 to $129. I think this is great news, and will make Vista a bit more accessible. It also makes Vista Home Premium the same price as Apple's OSX 10.5, which might explain that particular price point.
Link: Press Release @ PressPass
OEM copies represent good value for money without doubt (Vista Home Premium is £60 at Amazon) - but the retail packaged versions do not (£218 for the retail version of Home Premium at Amazon!
I wonder how aggressive the price cuts will be?
Also a SANDISK CRUZER MICRO 8Gb U3 READYBOOST Drive for £20.99 to add to my 4gb of r.a.m.
O.E.M. I guess is a saving and if you built your own a better idea than retail.
I am sure if my m.o.b.o. dies a week after installing the o.e.m. disk m$ don't mind.
I may or may not use Vista for myself, maybe a machine for my fiance.
Will install when sp1 comes around.
"Ultimate full looks to be officially headed down to $320 from $400, and the upgrade is down to $220 from $260; Home Premium is now at $130 from $160."
I wonder if the OEM proces will be cut as well?
Just the licence. OEMs can only be used on one machine only, they cannot be transferred to another PC/laptop.
Sometimes not even on the same PC/laptop even if you just install a driver update.
I can't believe no one said this yet...
The MAIN difference between retail and OEM is that with a retail copy of Vista (or XP) you get Microsoft support. If you buy the OEM copy, you have to support it yourself or have the "OEM" support it. Like Dell or HP etc.
Apple did it with the iPhone after barely a month! And it was very dramatic!
Apple did it with the iPhone after barely a month! And it was very dramatic!
Yeah now you see the original post replied to? Note the Microsoft, I'm not sure... but I suspect the iPhone isn't a MS product.
My mistake
Further, while Vista's price drop is unusually large, it's not even the largest price drop in terms of PC-related *anything* this year. That honor, ladies and gents, goes to *Intel*, with their current round of price cuts on Core2 and Pentium Dual-Core processors (which has led to some particularly wacky pricing, such as sub-$200 retail-boxed Core2Quads and even sub-$100 Core2Duos). So, in other words, it looks like Microsoft and Intel want to get their piece of those stimulus checks being mailed out in a few months.
/slams fist on table
Now where's the scotch? I need more scotch damnit!
You cannot compare OSX to Vista Home Premium as OSX comes as a ful featured version... you should compare it to Vista Ultimate not Home Premium
Microsoft has multiple editions of Windows because they make more money this way. Nothing wrong with making money. However it's a little ridiculous that Vista has 7 Editions.
Mac mini
1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2MB shared L2 cache
Memory 1GB (two 512MB) of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300)
Option: Up to 2GB
80GB Serial ATA, 5400 rpm
Option: Up to 160GB
Optical drive2 24x Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory3
BYODKM
So basically for $599 you are getting a very weak Core 2 Duo, almost no memory, no storage and you can't even burn a DVD. Not to mention that it has a very dated graphics chipset that uses system memory. If you want to use OSX legally, however, this is pretty much the entry level system. Pathetic...
$799 for 2.0GHz C2D, 120gig and a DVD burner (pretty much standard on a $500 PC).
Mac mini
1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2MB shared L2 cache
Memory 1GB (two 512MB) of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300)
Option: Up to 2GB
80GB Serial ATA, 5400 rpm
Option: Up to 160GB
Optical drive2 24x Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory3
BYODKM
So basically for $599 you are getting a very weak Core 2 Duo, almost no memory, no storage and you can't even burn a DVD. Not to mention that it has a very dated graphics chipset that uses system memory. If you want to use OSX legally, however, this is pretty much the entry level system. Pathetic...
$799 for 2.0GHz C2D, 120gig and a DVD burner (pretty much standard on a $500 PC).
You speak the truth.
Mac mini
1.83GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2MB shared L2 cache
Memory 1GB (two 512MB) of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300)
Option: Up to 2GB
80GB Serial ATA, 5400 rpm
Option: Up to 160GB
Optical drive2 24x Combo Drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
Intel GMA 950 graphics processor with 64MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory3
BYODKM
So basically for $599 you are getting a very weak Core 2 Duo, almost no memory, no storage and you can't even burn a DVD. Not to mention that it has a very dated graphics chipset that uses system memory. If you want to use OSX legally, however, this is pretty much the entry level system. Pathetic...
$799 for 2.0GHz C2D, 120gig and a DVD burner (pretty much standard on a $500 PC).
I built my PC for 600 bucks recently, all parts from newegg.
X2 5000+ 2.6 GHz
4 GB DDR2 800
512MB x1950PRO
250 gb HDD (7200RPM 16 MB Cache)
DVD burner
Windows vista home premium OEM
that mac is a ****ing ripoff
Anyway... retails sales only represents 5-10% of Microsoft sales, so... They only want to help Vista a little more, I don't think it is a desperate action. I think the new prices are right.
I'd rather have products worth buying.
I'd rather have products worth buying.
You mean somerthing like the Xbox and Xbox 360?
More than 100 millions of piece of sh!t in the world... A truly success for a piece of sh!t
Last edited by daniel_rh on 29 Feb 2008 - 18:56
wow took all the way till the 14th post to see one of the Vista is a piece of s**t posts...I'm in shock
i find vista's game performance the same if not better than on xp.
and i dont have a dream computer.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16837116195
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16837116193
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