News
Microsoft Offering Upgrade to Windows 8 for $40
Customers running Windows 7, XP or Vista will be able to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $39.99, according to a Microsoft blog post.
This is substantially cheaper than Microsoft's upgrade cost of moving from Windows Vista to 7, which ranged between $119 and $219.
Available in 131 markets, the upgrade promotion will also grant you access to Windows Media Player in Windows 8 for free (Microsoft announced in May that its media player will no longer be free for Windows 8 customers).
Microsoft will also offer those taking part in the $40 upgrade to purchase a backup copy of Windows 8 on DVD for an additional $15.
According to the blog, the deal is extended to those who upgrade online through Windows.com, and once purchased, an upgrade assistance prompt will walk users through the upgrade process – an assistance tool Microsoft said has been simplified for Windows 8.
"We believe that your upgrade experience in Windows 8 will be a breeze by offering a faster experience, a single upgrade path, and compatibility from prior versions of Windows," said Brandon LeBlanc, communications manager for Microsoft, in the blog posting. "We've continued to listen to our customers and have expanded the ability to download to over 100 countries and 37 languages. We have simplified the Windows upgrade experience with the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant which supports you during your upgrade with everything from selecting your language to pausing your download to built-in compatibility checks -- it's seamless."
The physical copy of Windows 8 Pro upgrade will also be discounted at $69.99.
For those who recently purchased or are thinking about purchasing a Windows 7 machine, Microsoft will send you a code to upgrade your OS to Windows 8 for $14.99.
Microsoft will be running this upgrade promotion through January 31, 2013.