Windows Vista editions and pricing
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| This article is part of the Windows Vista series. |
| New features |
| Overview |
| Technical and core system |
| Security and safety |
| Management and administration |
| Removed features |
| Other articles |
| Editions and pricing |
| Development history |
| Criticism |
| List of Windows Vista topics |
Windows Vista ships in six editions.[1] All editions except Windows Vista Starter support both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) processor architectures. Windows Vista Starter is only available for 32-bit architectures.
On September 5, 2006, USD pricing was announced for the four editions that are available through retail channels.[2] New license and upgrade license SKUs of each edition are available.
Microsoft states that the packaging for the retail editions of Windows Vista is "designed to be user-friendly, and the new packaging is a hard plastic container that will protect the software inside for life-long use".[3] The case opens sideways to reveal the Windows Vista DVD suspended in a clear plastic case. The Windows Vista disc itself uses a holographic design similar to the discs that Microsoft has produced since Windows 98 Second Edition.
| Description | Pricing | Retail box | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency | Retail / Upgrade | ||
| Windows Vista Starter | |||
| Much like Windows XP Starter Edition, this edition will be limited to emerging markets such as Brazil, Colombia, India, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, mainly to offer a legal alternative to using unauthorized copies. It will not be available in the United States, Canada, Europe, or Australia.[4] It will have many significant limitations, such as only allowing a user to launch three applications with a user interface at once, not accepting incoming network connections, a physical memory limit of 256 MB, and will run only in 32-bit mode.[5] Additionally, only AMD's Duron, Sempron and Geode processors, and Intel's Celeron and Pentium III processors are supported. | No pricing announced |  |
|
| Windows Vista Home Basic | |||
| Similar to Windows XP Home Edition, Home Basic is intended for budget users not requiring advanced media support for home use. The Windows Aero theme with translucent effects is not included with this edition. 64-bit Home Basic supports up to 8 GB of physical memory, and will be supported until 2012.
This version includes Windows Firewall, parental control, safety center, Windows Movie Maker, photo gallery, and more functions.[6] |
199.00 / 99.95 |
 |
|
| Windows Vista Home Premium | |||
| Containing all features from Home Basic, this edition also supports more advanced features aimed for the home market segment, such as HDTV support and DVD authoring. Extra premium games, mobile and tablet PC, network projector, touchscreen, and auxiliary display (via Windows SideShow) support, and a utility to schedule backups are also included. Home Premium supports 10 simultaneous peer network connections (compared to 5 in Home Basic). The version of Meeting Space included will also allow for interaction (in Home Basic, meetings may only be viewed). This edition is comparable to Windows XP Media Center Edition. 64-bit Home Premium will support up to 16 GB of physical memory, and will be supported until 2012. |
239.00 / 159.00 |
 |
|
| Windows Vista Business | |||
| Comparable to Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, Windows Vista Business Edition is aimed at the business market. Includes all the features of Home Premium with the exception of Windows Media Center and related technologies, Parental Controls, and Windows DVD and Movie Maker HD (the regular Movie Maker is included). Includes the IIS web server, fax support, Rights Management Services (RMS) Client, file system encryption, dual processor (two sockets) support, system image backup and recovery, offline file support, a full version of Remote Desktop that supports incoming connections, ad-hoc P2P collaboration capabilities, Previous Versions (Windows ShadowCopy), and several other business features not in Home Premium. 64-bit Business supports 128 GB of memory. Mainstream support for Business ends on April 10, 2012; extended support ends on April 11, 2017. |
299.00 / 199.95 |
 |
|
| Windows Vista Enterprise | |||
| This edition is aimed at the enterprise segment of the market, and is a superset of the Business edition. Additional features include multilingual user interface support, BitLocker Drive Encryption, and UNIX application support. This edition will not be available through retail or OEM channels, but through Microsoft Software Assurance. Since Enterprise is a benefit of Software Assurance (SA), it will include several SA-only benefits, including a license allowing for multiple virtual machines to be run, access to Virtual PC Express, and activation via VLK.[7] 64-bit Enterprise supports 128 GB of memory. Mainstream support for Enterprise ends on April 10, 2012; extended support ends on April 11, 2017. | Part of Software Assurance enterprise licensing | N/A | |
| Windows Vista Ultimate | |||
| This edition combines all the features of the Home Premium and Enterprise editions, a game performance tweaker (WinSAT), and "Ultimate Extras". On January 7, 2007, at CES, Microsoft began to announce what some of these Ultimate Extras will be. When Vista launched to consumers on January 30, 2007 Microsoft immediately made the following Extras available for Ultimate users: "Dream Scene", a utility that allows for full-motion video desktop backgrounds; "Hold'Em", a Vista-customized version of the Texas Hold'Em poker game; Multi-user interface language packs, designed to allow individuals fluent in different languages to share the same PC; BitLocker Online Secure Key Storage, where Ultimate customers will be offered a secure place to store their BitLocker encryption keys in the Online Vista Marketplace; and "Digital publications," a collection of tips and tricks, blog links and other resources for getting the most out of Ultimate.[8][9] After that, many more are expected to be announced through 2007, including a photo editing and merging tool shown at CES called "GroupShot". More detailed information regarding some of these extras can be read at the Vista Ultimate website here.
The Ultimate edition is aimed at high-end PC users, gamers, multimedia professionals, and PC enthusiasts. 64-bit Ultimate supports 128 GB of memory. Mainstream support for Ultimate ends on April 10, 2012; extended support ends on April 11, 2017. Another upgrade variant of Windows Vista Ultimate is the Windows Vista Ultimate Upgrade Limited Numbered Signature Edition, a limited, numbered edition of Windows Vista Ultimate that features Bill Gates' signature on the front of the packaging along with its unique number. Limited only to 20,000 copies. |
399.00 / 259.00 |
 |
|
Notes:
- Windows Vista will also be available for purchase and download directly from Microsoft, through their Windows Marketplace web site. Digital locker technology will be used to secure the download.[10]
- "Home Basic N" and "Business N" editions of Windows Vista will additionally be available in the European Union. These editions will ship without Windows Media Player, according to the EU sanctions brought against Microsoft for violating anti-trust laws.[11]
- Due to a 2005 anti-trust ruling by the Fair Trade Commission in South Korea, a set of "K" and "KN" editions of Windows Vista will be sold that contain some changes from the standard release. Links to competing instant messaging and media player software will be included with the operating system, and in the case of the "KN" editions, Windows Media Player will not be included at all.[12]
- An "Express Upgrade" program is available for providing free or low-cost upgrades for people who purchase computers with Windows XP between October 26, 2006 and March 15, 2007.[13] The precise costs vary between OEM manufacturers; Dell, for example, will charge $25 USD plus applicable taxes/fees to upgrade Windows XP Professional to Windows Vista Business or Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 to Windows Vista Home Premium, while upgrades from Windows XP Home to Windows Vista Home Basic will cost $45 USD plus $25USD plus applicable taxes/fees.
- Customers in Canada and the United States who purchase the Ultimate Edition (full or upgrade) before June 30, 2007 will be able to purchase additional licenses of Vista Home Premium at a cost of $49.99. These licenses will be sold online through Microsoft's web site.[10]
- There are four different Vista DVDs available in non-emerging markets: Retail/OEM 32-bit, Retail/OEM 64-bit, VL (Volume Licensing) 32-bit and VL 64-bit. All editions of Windows Vista except Enterprise are available from a Retail/OEM DVD. It is the license key purchased that determines which version will be installed; the VL DVD can only install Business or Enterprise edition. The features of the Home Premium and Ultimate editions may be "unlocked" at any time by purchasing a one-time upgrade license through a Control Panel tool called Windows Anytime Upgrade. The Business edition will also be upgradable to Ultimate. Such licenses will be sold by Microsoft's partners and OEMs, but not directly by Microsoft.
- The prices quoted in GB£ refer to the price paid, and not a simple exchange of prices in US$. For example, the price of the Home Basic edition in the UK is GB£179.99. Based on the exchange rate on Feb 16, 2007, this is US$350.87, approximately 75% more than the US price (The converse price in the UK would be GB£102.57).
- The Home Premium Upgrade version is available to students for $USD 89.95.[14]
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ Microsoft (February 26, 2006). Microsoft Unveils Windows Vista Product Lineup. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-10-31.
- ^ Microsoft (September 5, 2006). Industry Testing of Windows Vista Release Candidate 1 Begins. Press release. Retrieved on 2006-09-05.
- ^ Thurrott, Paul (October 31, 2006). Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows: Windows Vista and Office 2007 Packaging Revealed. Windows Supersite. Retrieved on 2006-11-04.
- ^ Ricadela, Aaron (February 27, 2006). Microsoft To Release Six Versions Of Windows Vista. Informationweek.com. Retrieved on 2006-09-08.
- ^ Windows Vista Starter Edition. Retrieved on 2006-07-31.
- ^ http://www.oone.googlepages.com/windows_vista_editions.htm
- ^ The full list of Software Assurance benefits, including Vista features specific to Enterprise, are outlined at Microsoft's Software Assurance web page for Windows Vista.
- ^ Bill Gates Keynote at International CES. Microsoft (January 7, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-01-08.
- ^ Foley, Mary Jo (January 7, 2007). Microsoft lifts the curtain on Vista Ultimate Extras. CNET Networks, Inc.. Retrieved on 2007-01-09.
- ^ a b White, Nick (January 17, 2006). Multiple announcements today. Windows Vista team blog. Microsoft. Retrieved on 2007-01-20.
- ^ "Microsoft and EU reach agreement", BBC World News, March 28, 2005. Retrieved on 2007-01-21.
- ^ Hickens, Michael (October 16, 2006). Vista on Track: Microsoft Bends For E.U., Korea. WinPlanet. Jupitermedia. Retrieved on 2007-01-20.
- ^ White, Nick (2006-10-24). Buy a PC Now, Upgrade to Windows Vista After Launch. Windows Vista blog. Microsoft. Retrieved on 2006-10-31.
- ^ http://www.microsoft.com/Education/USAcademicPricing.mspx
[edit] External links
- Microsoft Windows Vista — Microsoft Windows Vista homepage
- Microsoft Windows Vista Upgrade Info — Windows Vista Upgrade planning
- Microsoft Windows Vista Product Guide — Contains complete, feature-by-feature comparisons of the various Windows Vista editions (current through the Beta 2 release)
