Microsoft Windows 7 Packaging

Microsoft has just published the pricing for Windows 7. You can upgrade from Windows XP or Vista, or buy the full retail version. Here are the prices:

Windows 7 Home Premium: $119.99 UPGRADE or $199.99 FULL VERSION
Windows 7 Professional: $199.99 UPGRADE or $299.99 FULL VERSION
Windows 7 Ultimate: $219.99 UPGRADE or $319.99 FULL VERSION

However, you can pre-order Windows 7 for just $49.99 or $99.99 for Home Premium or Professional, respectively.

In Europe, we’re a little less lucky. Here are our local prices:

Windows 7 Home Premium: £80
Windows 7 Professional: £190
Windows 7 Ultimate: £200

For us, the “upgrades” are actually the same as the full retail versions. However, these prices are only until 1 January 2010, and after that, they will be bumped up to cost:

Windows 7 Home Premium: £150
Windows 7 Professional: £220
Windows 7 Ultimate: £230

Luckily though, we too can pre-order our copies of Windows 7 from 15 July 2009 for £49 for Windows 7 Home Premium E and £99 for Windows 7 Professional E. The “E” stands for “no Internet Explorer”, as requested by EU regulators.