Windows Vista UK to cost 50-80% more than the US

[zulu9812]

from http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=7925

Details of Windows Vista’s UK price have leaked online after retailers started accepting pre-orders for the new OS, and the early signs are that it’s worth shopping around as the asking price varies between sites.

Amazon's UK site lists Vista Home Premium – the version we predict most consumers will plump for – as £219.99 inc VAT for the full boxed product, whereas at www.chillblast.com you’ll pay £182.11 for the same product. If you want to get hold of the Ultimate version of Vista: Chillblast wants £323.11 inc VAT for it while Amazon is asking £369.99.

Microsoft has made it clear from the outset that PC manufacturers and retailers will dictate the final pricing, but we’re surprised to find such variations.

What’s more, Microsoft told PC Advisor not 10 days ago that it was intent on keeping mum about the retail price of Vista right up until it launches at the end of January.

Now it seems online retailers have once again let the cat out of the bag. Amazon's US site revealed US pricing for Vista when it posted preorder details on its site back in late August.

The prices - ranging from $99 for an upgrade to Home Basic ($199 for the full version) up to $399 for Vista Ultimate - were subsequently confirmed by Microsoft. However, no official announcements have been made to date about UK pricing.

As widely predicted, prices for UK customers are significantly higher than those in the US. According to prices listed at www.amazon.com earlier in the year, Stateside customers will be able to get Vista Home Basic for $199 – roughly £102 – a full £50 less than Chillblast is asking for it. That’s a markup approaching 50 percent.

Vista Home Premium will cost £219.99 inc VAT for both Amazon’s UK customers and those heading to PC World. At www.pcworld.co.uk an upgrade version will cost £149.99. According to our calculations, that’s 80 percent more than in the US.

Similarly, Windows Vista Ultimate – the bells-and-whistles version of the operating system – retails for $399 (about £203) in the US while PC World and Amazon UK are asking £369.99 for it.

Rip-off Britain strikes again. Quite apart from the fact that 350 quid for an operating system is taking the piss, the fact that it's almost twice the cost of the same program if you buy it in the USA is just plain insulting.

 

[kryszcztov]

Rip-off Britain strikes again. Quite apart from the fact that 350 quid for an operating system is taking the piss, the fact that it's almost twice the cost of the same program if you buy it in the USA is just plain insulting.

All the more as Windows Vista doesn't add anything great to Windows XP.

And yeah, life is expensive in the UK, not a news...

Oh, and a GNU/Linux distribution is about the infinite (a "1" with many "0"s behind) less expensive than Windows Vista, for a much better quality overall.

 

[taper]

Anybody remember when the Xbox cost $299 in the US, and 299 pounds in the UK? Seems they don't like figuring in exchange rates. I don't plan on buying Vista at all, though we'll probably be getting it at work sometime in the next year. Should be really fun on the hardware we have.

 

[Maniacal]

I wonder if they think this will make it sell BETTER instead of WORSE.

 

[GenMarshall]

Meh, Some US companies are too lazy to convert currencies.

 

[troyDoogle7]

IThere is a company importing vista from the usa. They charge that much there.... people will just pirate or import it...

Please people don't buy it from your local store if you are in the uk.. See if youdon't buy it they will drop the price!

 

[BirraImperial]

I wouldn't buy Vista until a reasonable ammount of time has passed, you know so the techs can solve most of the bugs at least.

 

[Padma]

In other words, somewhere around Vista-SP2 ?

 

[Fifty]

I see no reason to change from XP