Upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for only $39.99
Microsoft just announced that you can download and upgrade Windows XP, Vista, or 7 to Windows 8 Pro for only $39.99 as a download or $69.99 Disc for a special time until January 31st, 2013.. This will also include a free update for “add-in” Media Center after your install is complete.
Microsoft is pushing the download option and it will help create a bootable USB or burn a DVD for the install from the download process. Head over to Windows.com for the Upgrade assistant and get your PC ready for Windows 8 Pro.
They did state that there will be OEM or Full versions available for purchase as well, but no prices has been listed yet. Check out the link below to the windows team blog below.
We set out to make it as easy as possible for everyone to upgrade to Windows 8. Starting at general availability, if your PC is running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 you will qualify to download an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for just $39.99 in 131 markets. And if you want, you can add Windows Media Center for free through the “add features” option within Windows 8 Pro after your upgrade.
this is not quite as good a
this is not quite as good a deal as apple’s OS upgrades where its $30 (20$ for the new one) to upgrade all your eligible macs, but this does mean I’ll probably update at least my desktop computer to 8. And maybe ill even update my htpc once ive waited a bit to make sure nothing is broke with 8mc (which should be the case, since it doesnt appear they did anything to it at all)
DavidStein wrote:this is not
[quote=DavidStein]
this is not quite as good a deal as apple’s OS upgrades where its $30 (20$ for the new one) to upgrade all your eligible macs, but this does mean I’ll probably update at least my desktop computer to 8. And maybe ill even update my htpc once ive waited a bit to make sure nothing is broke with 8mc (which should be the case, since it doesnt appear they did anything to it at all)
[/quote]
There is a big potential for broken pieces. 8MC was compiled for .NET4.x where previous versions were compiled for .NET 2.0.
I’m on the fence about this
I’m on the fence about this upgrade. On one hand it’s a good deal if you want to upgrade to Windows 8. On the other it’s an upgrade to an OS that doesn’t show me much of a reason to replace Windows 7. They’re tossing us a bone by letting us have the Media Center add-in for free, but we already have it included for free with Windows 7. The fact that Microsoft has announced that they have abandoned Media Center doesn’t give me much of an incentive to keep supporting them.
I’d be curious to know how the Media Center upgrade gets installed. If it’s something we can download as a separate file or msi installer that doesn’t disappear after the installation I might give it a try just to check it out. I tend to reinstall Windows frequently if I have hardware issues and I’d like to know that Media Center will still be available to me as a free installation after the Jan 31st 2013 deadline.
I’ve wondered exactly the
I’ve wondered exactly the same thing. From looking at how it is installed through the Release Preview, it’s not clear if it’s tied to an install or an account. It would have been much more straightforward if MS was providing it though the Microsoft Store. At least then it would be clear that it was attached to your Microsoft account, even if it still had to be downloaded off a separate page link.
I have a copy of XP 64bit I
I have a copy of XP 64bit I think I’ll forfeit for a W8 upgrade ;).
Happy with Win7 . . . there
Happy with Win7 . . . there comes a point when you have to say, it works, it does what I need, DON’T MESS WITH ANYTHING.
There isn’t anything worth it
There isn’t anything worth it for me to downgrade to Win8. I don’t like the whole Metro interface and I don’t have a touchscreen PC. On top of that they’re not even upgrading Media Center so there’s no point to it for mine HTPC.
While audio recording
While audio recording software like the one used in this benchmark http://blog.cakewalk.com/windows-8-a-benchmark-for-music-production-applications/ doesn’t translate directly to HTPC usage, it does show some underlying improvements to the core OS. So there may be benifits to upgrading even if the MCE component isn’t changed.
Personally, I don’t
Personally, I don’t understand the hesitation to the upgrade to 8 Pro + WMC all for only $40 bucks.
Forget Media Center for just a sec… okay, so people don’t like Metro– that’s fine. I don’t either, but the overall usability is the same. You take your mouse to the lower-left corner of the screen to bring up a start menu (or the start menu button on your keyboard). You can create “Program Groups” in that start menu, start typing search or execution commands w/o having to click run or search (just like in Vista & 7)… if you don’t like the metro apps for pictures, music, videos, you can still install the Live Essentials download for mail & photo gallary, and use wmp for the default player for all your music & videos.
Basically, it’s all the same functionality but a whole lot more. With 8Pro you actually have access to the Users MMC, GPEdit, a bunch of advanced security stuff, etc..etc.. that you don’t get with Vista or 7’s Home Premium.
And lets face it– how many people out there refused to upgrade to Windows 7 (from XP or Vista), because the start menu was the same functionality, or that they didn’t like the Aero Effects?
What are you going to do after 1/31/13, when the upgrade costs the typical $99 + another $30 or $50 for the Media Pack features… and then a new app comes out that only works on W8 or Metro.. or they release the Xbox8 and in conjunction release a live-tv/DVR Metro App?
$40 bucks vs a whole lot more later when, eventually, everyone upgrades.. pretty good sounding to me.