Vista prices fall even further

I expected to see some lower Vista prices in this weekend's ads, but was surprised to see just how low the prices had fallen.

Officially the price cuts announced by Microsoft on Thursday don't take effect until later this year when Service Pack 1 hits retail shelves. However, the company had said that many retailers were offering promotions that bring the software to its lower price.

But the ad at OfficeMax took things a step further. In this week's circular, the office products chain is selling Windows Vista Home Premium for $99. That's $30 less than Microsoft's just-lowered price and the same as the suggested price for Windows Vista Home Basic--though perhaps just a hair more than the clearance prices a couple weeks back at closing CompUSA stores.

The question now is just how low will Vista go.

[MadKiwi]

Value?

Given that you can buy a new PC with Home Premium for around $500 you've still got to ask yourself whether it's still not a better move to buy a new PC, especially if your current PC may only be marginal with Premium...

[amandachuck]

well if you want to run parallels or boot camp...

you need a retail windows install.

[jumpjetta]

Oh, THAT will make me buy it....

$99 gets you a hobbled, patchwork-quilt of an operating system <br />that requires considerate computer and peripheral upgrade, and is <br />still lackluster. <br /><br />Meanwhile, $119 gets you the full, robust, elegant and advanced <br />Mac OS X, or $0 gets you Ubuntu.

[timber2005]

If you have nothing worthy to say

Go buy a mac. Go install Ubuntu. Or, as a better idea, get a decent computer or give Vista a real shot after you become "tech savy". I bet you tried Vista on a Dell or HP after they modified very little thing they could to make it slow as hell. But, I don't want you to try vista anymore. Just go elsewhere and stop leaving worthless comments.

[Chameleon81]

value?

100 is one fifth of 500 and some people would like to keep that extra 400 dollars in their pockets

[close5828]

Can I just say....

....that I absolutely hate Windows Vista.<br /><br />I've had three laptops with Vista pre-installed (1 w/ Home <br />Premium, 2 w/ 64-bit Ultimate) and each one had issues w/ <br />Vista.<br /><br />When the last machine started to BSOD when I tried putting it to <br />sleep, I called up the mfg and they were gracious enough to give <br />me a full refund for the machine. I took the money, bought a <br />Macbook, and haven't looked back.<br /><br />btw...if you're a die-hard Windows/PC guy, do NOT buy a <br />Mac.....seriously, stay away from Apple and Macs. Why? Because <br />once you use Leopard, you'll never want to use Windows again.

[SeizeCTRL]

not buying it

I don't buy into your story one bit. I have 2 laptops with Vista Home Premium and they are rock solid. I have never had one BSOD in Vista. I run Vista Ultimate 64 on my main PC and that box is fantastic. <br /><br />Only issues I have are with a couple of games like Sins of a Solar Empire and that's because of a graphics driver issue and nothing to do with Microsoft or Vista.<br /><br />I have an Intel iMac and I don't see what all the fuss is over OSX. It's a great OS but it's no better than Linux or XP/Vista.<br /><br />If you know how to actually use XP/Vista then you will never have a problem with it. You buy a cheap little $299 Dell with XP and you hit every porn and warez site you can find... you deserve the problems you will encounter. <br /><br />I rarely ever have any problems out of XP / Vista.

[coryschulz]

I agree

Once you use a Mac and begin to understand how it's set up, it completely opens up your mind to all of the things you've been missing. It's terrible really... Terrible I didn't realize it earlier.<br /><br />But to be honest, I didn't pay any attention to the iMacs until they switched to Intel. Before that they weren't very great. PPC wasn't doing them any good. Intel at least allows you to run Windows if you really need to. Also Intel produces cooler and more energy efficient processors, which are way better for consumers.

[tenbosch]

You had driver issues

You definitely weren't running it on supported hardware. I have Vista running on a Thinkpad T61 and it runs pretty good. It sometimes seems to be running slow for some foresaken reason, but otherwise it's better then XP, IMHO.<br /><br />Now, My home machine is a iMac 24, which I absolutely love. However, the bugs in Leapard are just as frustrating as the bugs in XP. Like, sometimes, the graphics in the app bar just bug out. Safari will just stop working and crash and you have to restart it, almost weekly. Firefox is not that much better. I loved the previous version of iPhoto and iMovie much better. Sometimes, my DVD drive won't take in the drive and the disc just sits there. I have to use a litle screw driver to push it in just a little further and then it will grab the disc.<br /><br />That being said, I still love the iMac and Leapard, and I won't be parting with it anytime soon. But XP and/or Vista is much better suited for my office tasks. Pages and Numbers are not quite there yet. I like OpenOffice, but it's WAY too slow. It's pretty reliable though.

[CJP Photos]

The Best Decision I could have made

Close5828 said:<br />btw...if you're a die-hard Windows/PC guy, do NOT buy a Mac.....seriously, stay away from Apple and Macs. Why? Because once you use Leopard, you'll never want to use Windows again.<br /><br />20DChris says:<br />Gotta agree! Two years ago if someone had said I'd be using a Mac today, I'd have laughed in their face. NEVER!<br /><br />Now that I have my Imac I can't tell you how happy I am w/it. I've had it since December, upgraded to OS X Leopard w/not a problem. Every time I hear about Vista headaches, I thank GOD I don't have to deal with Windows. I can't believe I'm saying it but I've been converted. And MAN it is the BEST decision I could have made!<br />--<br />Chris

[garry_k]

Some people make all the wrong decisions

Ever thought about putting some of the blame on the manufacturer? I've sold over 300 laptops with Vista and not one has come back with the kind of problems you mention, but they were top notch hardware with the right specs (expensive machines just like a Mac). Maybe you just didn't buy the right equipment, because three laptops, really, you can't just be that unlucky!

[HlLLARY CLITON]

Give it away for free

As poor as Vista is, give it away. Put it out of misery

[paulbee1958]

Vista's Survival

I still use windows 2000 and I'm very happy with it. Lately I'm toying with buying an XP CD and instaling that.<br /><br />My question is, can Vista even survive? It is too resource hungry for all but the most powerful new processors (unless you want to use bare bones home basic, but why use that when XP will do?).<br /><br />I've tried Ubuntu, and gave up because I have no wish to become a real Geek (it's a chore just to see network drives), Mac is out for me because most of the the things I use computers for are better done with windows with more choices, That leaves only XP for me.

[gerrrg]

still on 2000?

They stopped support for 2000. At least you should move up to XP.

[silent.griffin]

You're extinct!

A year later you'll realize how stupid you are for staying with 2000 (Not that it is a bad OS)<br /><br />Vista is gaining market share. It's slow but it's moving!

[Kings X Rocks!]

Vista on latest-greatest processors...

I tend to disagree. I run Vista Home on an md4000+ single core with 2gb ram. Runs just fine. I don't need multitasking capabilities...<br /><br />I had a motherboard (ASRock) NIC driver issue that I resolved by getting a beta driver a few weeks ago. <br /><br />There are some quirky things with older software sometimes...but nothing to write home about. <br /><br />I, like a lot of folks, have a lot of time invested in Win OS's in the work environment, so Vista is just the next iteration to have to work with. If I wasn't tied to the corp world, I'd love OS-X for home...just for the thrill of starting from scratch. We have some OS-X machines at the office that tend to have to suck hind t*t in our MS AD world.<br /><br />There, I've said it. STEVE--I SAID IT OUT LOUD!!!

[chonnom]

yeah yeah yeah

and when I can play current games on either machine withou dual-booting, I'll consider buying a mac or using linux...

[machelpdesk]

Of course you can...

play current games without rebooting on a Mac. Use either Parallels Desktop for the <br />Mac - <a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.parallels.com/en/landingpage/dskd10_4/?" target="_newWindow">http://www.parallels.com/en/landingpage/dskd10_4/?</a><br />gclid=COufrpeO8JECFQQFlwodeBxIxw<br /><br />or<br /><br />Fusion by VMWare - <a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/" target="_newWindow">http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion/</a><br /><br />Oh, and of course you can run virtually (sic) any version of Windows or Linux.<br /><br />3 Operating Systems, 1 computer to unite them all.

[Sumatra-Bosch]

It's Like Lowering the Price of Diphtheria

Sure, it's cheaper - but no one could seriously want it and be called sane.<br /><br />Maybe, like the Zune, the target market for Vista is really the escaped mental patient cohort.

[colamix]

The nightmare that is Vista

If you're stuck with it turn off UAC, Aero and enable classic mode for everything. Then you'll have a bloated version of XP which will leave you stranded with many games and hardware. No, you couldn't pay me $99 to try that pig again.

[atheria]

Forget Vista - Bring Back XP!

Vista is a bust - they've admitted it by dropping the price militple times.<br /><br />When did they EVER drop the price for XP? XP Home wasn't good, but Pro is THE BEST - has all of the Oomph it needs while still incorporating back in all the "tools" that were so cool in 98SE.<br /><br />No, we don't want Vista, the GOVERNMENT doesn't want Vista and dang it, MS - please realize that THIS is even WORSE than ME (Millenium Edition) and is now being termed the "OS2 of MS" (OS2 -IBM- red or blue flopped so badly that it never made a spash anywhere...) <br /><br />So do we go Linux or do you give us XP back!!!!!!!!!!

[oyster11]

You do not know of what you speak

I despise Vista. It is a bloated pig with outrageous resource consumption. But NOTHING will ever be able to touch ME. My first computer was a laptop with ME... and it made me want to learn to use a slide rule. XP is OK if you must have software that is Windows only, otherwise use Linux (esp. Zenwalk).

[DaClyde]

Oddly the Air Force wants Vista

For some bizarre reason, the US Air Force is apparently the only part of the US Government that is pushing to deploy Vista.

[ralfthedog]

Vista and ME are better...

Vista and ME are better than Windows 7 will be.

[The_happy_switcher]

what do you expect from chimps writing the code?

Not to mention that king of chimps, Ballmer running the whole show. LOL

[garry_k]

XP? Why not go back to Win2000?

Why XP? Mine crashes regularly, we should all go back to Win2000! Really, why try for more security than Linux or Leopard? Just dump Vista and XP! When I think about it, DOS 4.00 really worked well. We don't need a smart secure operating system because then we have to learn how to use it and solve any problems that come up. Lets just ignore the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of satisfied people using Vista who say "Gee, mine works great! Why are these people having problems?" They won't talk too loud because it's not fashionable to admit that it works perfectly for them! Join the flock and dump your perfectly good OS for something ancient and show everybody how foolish they are being, using Vista (even if it works fine).

[ralfthedog]

I get far better number crunching performance from 2000 than XP or Vista.

The only real advantage XP has is that it addresses more memory, bigger hard drives and supports 64 bit code (With the right version).

[mr3vil]

Not to mention the only game you'll be playing...

is minesweeper or solitaire. Have any of you virtualization proponents even tried a game like Call of Duty 4 on your virtual machine, how about the Orange Box, or QuakeWars?<br /><br /><br /><br />Didn't think so.

[SeizeCTRL]

Calling you out on this one...

I am playing CoD4, Frontlines:Fuel of War and Crysis on my Vista64 box. I have installed Quake Wars:ET which was a complete let down... BF2, BF2142, Special Forces, Half-Life 2: Orange Box and Sins of a Solar Empire. If I can run Crysis on Vista with no problems, then that tells me Vista is pretty F'n sweet for games.<br /><br />Sins of a Solar Empire is the only game giving me problems and that's because of an Nvidia glitch that they say will be worked out on the next driver update.<br /><br />On my laptop which is Vista32, Sins plays great, Lost: Via Domus plays ok, but since my laptop doesn't support Shaders 3.0 I cannot see all the environment, but the game still plays. BF2142 plays at medium/low graphics because it's not a gaming laptop with a high end graphics card onboard... I loaded up Lost: Via Domus on my Vista64 box and plays fine... it's just the game sort of sucks and I have no desire to play it.<br /><br />The only real problems I have is that my Microsoft Finger Print reader doesn't have a 64bit driver and my HP PhotoSmart 7660 has to use dumbed down 5600 driver just to somewhat print. HP said they have no intention of doing a 64bit driver for that printer so it's now hooked up to my XP box which is fine.<br /><br />I actually have better gaming performance out of my Vista box than I did when it was running XP. Games like BF2 and 2142 would not let me ALT+TAB out of the game in XP without essentially crashing the game to a black screen. In Vista, I can task out of any game and back in with no problem at all.

[mcarrieri]

New idea for Ad campaign

I have a new idea for Microsoft's Ad Campaign for Vista. Please contact me anytime at [e-mail].

[anonon]

Why would I want to spend $300 on Vista when XP works just fine?

The question I keep finding I'm asking myself is why would I <br />spend $300-400 for the only worthwhile version of Vista (i.e. <br />Ultimate) to do the same thing I'm already doing in Linux, OSX <br />or XP? (please don't harp on to me about the latest security <br />enhancements in Vista - I don't need em). <br /><br />Sure, each OS has its own shortcomings - eg Leopard had its fair <br />share of instability for me until 10.5.2 - but at least I didn't <br />blow $300-400 AND have to deal with issues. ...and that's my <br />main gripe with Vista. I hear of so many issues with it (and <br />success stories too, but that isn't my point) that having to spend <br />a considerable amount of money for an OS that from a consumer <br />perspective will only make MORE work for me rather than make <br />life easier just doesn't make much sense.<br /><br />I've been a geek for the past 20 years, and so I've spent a <br />fortune on the latest, greatest and ahem, breakiest, but I guess <br />I'm getting old in the tooth when it comes to forking out more <br />$$$ to Microsoft for more of the samey samey.

[Mystigo]

Funny

&gt; I've been a geek for the past 20 years<br /><br />I thought being a geek was genetic.<br /><br />What were you before you were a geek?<br /><br /> :-)

[gerrrg]

I'll consider buying it...

after SP1, and not a day sooner.<br /><br />A forewarning to those MS programmers: If it doesn't install directly over my XP Pro like it says it will, I'm going to post a video of me flame-torching the disc, and mailing it back to you up in Redmond.

[Julio]

No problems with Vista

Weird as it might sound, I haven't had serious problems with Vista and I feel safer within Vista environment. I even upgraded a Toshiba Laptop to Vista Ultimate -Windows Centrino- solo without a glitch. I'm not an expert and I haven't found major problems. All my computers are running Vista. JR

[camp88]

No Problems here either . . .

I've had no serious problems with Vista and absolutely no security <br />problems either, but that might be because I'm running Leopard on <br />a MBP.

[rick47591]

Vista is another version of Win-Me

LOL...Microsoft failed again with the coming-out of another bloated version of Windows-Me. I tried the moronic Vista for 4 months and was so disgusted with how different it was to change settings as compared to xp, 2k, 98, etc., that I happily made the successful change back to xp. Vista is a power-hungry program that lacks intelligence, common sense, and horse sense. The morons of Microsoft must have been paid a healthy paycheck to build such a poor operating system that locks up alot and demands to be rebooted when installing update after update and also alot of the time. Many of its features are annoying as well. The defragger is a huge disappointment too. Why attempt to fix something that wasn't broken to begin with...namely XP? DUHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! <br /><br />Microsoft lied to most everyone again when they released info that claimed they were finished rebuilding xp. FYI, there is a soon-to-be-released Service Pack 3 coming for XP. However, it is somewhat of a dud too since it mainly installs updates that were previously blocked from installing via windows updates. <br /><br />Vista's Service Pack 1 has already been causing tons of problems. When is Microsoft going to quit being sooooo greedy? <br /><br />My next system will definitely be a MAC!!!

[rgginc]

Not all that bad

Windows Vista isn't as bad as you make it out to be. Sure this OS takes a little bit more power to run, but if you're smart enough, you wouldn't install it without having enough power. It's recommended amount of RAM is 1gb, but I think it works best with 3gb. You also need a decent graphics card if you want to use all of vista's features and still have enough to play a game or two. The next thing you will need is a processor. If you don't feel like upgrading your current PC, why not try buying one with Windows Vista pre-installed. Ultimate costs about $200 now, so put about $600 with it and get a new PC rather than upgrading. Also, Windows Vista is still fairly new, so of course it's going to have a lot of upgrades. You obviously don't remember how bad XP was when it first came out.<br /><br />- Rob<br />- <a class="jive-link-external" href="http://rgginc.evenhosting.com/" target="_newWindow">http://rgginc.evenhosting.com/</a>

[cross platform]

This Is The Most......

Unintelligent, biased comment I've ever read here!

[CyBeRJaWn]

Don't know what you are thinkin

I've had no problems what so ever, everything works and works great. but I'm not using Aero on my premium version and I have 2Gigs of ram (aero takes around 50 mb of ram and sense DDR2 is around $100 for 4Gigs nowdays what's to complain about, if your running less than 1Gig its not going to run very good. Not anyones fault if you or anyone else is crashing cause of faulty drivers or flakely hardware is the more likely reason. Vista takes a little more. But after I did my tweaks I'm only running 44 Processes. <br />I'm running all kinds of software and haven't had problems. Just my two cents.

[yolarry]

rick47591 stick with your macdonalds computer

First things first vista is wayyyy better then WINME. Change settings did change alot but not a whole lot. Vista is power hungry but here is a few ways to fix that, get rid of windows defender, turn off aero, still slow? get rid of sidebar then. Defrag is actually faster to me and automatically does it on certain time. SP3 for XP is not all about the hot fix's, they improve graphics card 10-15% of speed due to memory management and fix it so it can be XP and Vista network friendly<br /><br />yeah go buy yourself a big mac computer. you will miss the great windows for sure unless you virtual pc. <br /><br /><br />Microsoft is Microsoft...always have been.

[paulbee1958]

Vista vs XP vs 2000

As Stated before I still use Win 2k. We have 5 old computers at home networked together. They have PCTools firewall, Antivirus, and anti-spyware. Everything works just Dandy. Oh yeah we also have one XP laptop. None of the PC's have more than 500 MB Ram. XP would be fine for us.<br /><br />VISTA on the other hand would really screw mr up financially. I'd have by newer more powerful computers eacg with @ Gigs Ran (or more). <br /><br />Why would I want to do that?

[Kings X Rocks!]

Because...

you enjoy using newer technology. If not...then don't.

[zephryn]

why would you?

Well if you're planning on never upgrading your hardware, then no, you shouldn't update your software. Last time I checked, "new" did not equal "runs better on less ram". That's like saying Call of Duty 4 is a crappy game because it won't run on your average Win98 SE machine.

[juchestyle]

MO - NOP - ALY

What do you expect from a monopoly? They don't care about the end user, if there was competition, then they would be forced to hire people to program and not chimpanzees!<br /><br />R,

[zephryn]

Microsoft does care about its customers

Only their major customers aren't end user consumers like us. They sell to PC manufacturers like Dell, HP, Acer, and of course their 'pals' from Intel...<br /><br />And if Microsoft can train chimps to write code for a whole operating system, then they must have some expert training staff