Windows 8.1 Available for Pre-order Now

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Let the countdown begin!

Microsoft on Wednesday announced that is now accepting pre-orders for Windows 8.1. The catch is that you'll have to be in the United States to secure yourself a pre-order, because Redmond doesn't seem to have opened pre-orders elsewhere just yet.

 

As discussed previously, Windows 8.1 will be officially released on October 18, 2013 (that's actually 12:00am on October 18th in New Zealand, so 4:00 a.m. PT 7:00 a.m. ET on October 17). Those who are already running Windows 8 will receive the upgrade to 8.1 for free, but those will on Windows 7 and below will need to pay for the pleasure to use the new Start Screen.

Pricing for Windows 8.1 will be the exact same as for the version before it: $119.99 and Windows 8.1 Pro will be available for $199.99. What's different from Windows 8, however, is that upgrade versions will be full version software. New PC owners with Windows 8.1 can upgrade to the Pro version for $99.

Hit up Microsoft's website to pre-order. We'll keep you posted on the pre-order status for other regions.

Follow Jane McEntegart @JaneMcEntegart. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.

Jane McEntegart
23 Comments Comment from the forums
  • I would rather use Windows 2000 than windows 8. I will stick to win xp, win 7 and Linux Mint 12.
    Reply
  • Quarkzquarkz
    The real question is, when can we do the free upgrade from Windows 8 to windows 8.1? I need to know Thx in advance!!
    Reply
  • Bloob
    *sigh* another win 8 post. I'll just call for the whambulance right away.
    Reply
  • stevejnb
    11647103 said:
    The real question is, when can we do the free upgrade from Windows 8 to windows 8.1? I need to know Thx in advance!!

    October 17.
    Reply
  • Fredrik Aldhagen
    It is great of Microsoft to provide the opportunity for people without internet access to acquire Windows 8.1 ...by ordering it on their website
    Reply
  • stevejnb
    11647231 said:
    It is great of Microsoft to provide the opportunity for people without internet access to acquire Windows 8.1 ...by ordering it on their website

    ... is this not going to be available in store? I've seen multiple articles talking about retail packaging and DVDs. Why wouldn't someone without internet just be able to go and pick one of those up? Though, I will admit, if you *really* have no net access, an older version of Windows is far less necessary from a security standpoint.
    Reply
  • jimmysmitty
    11646822 said:
    windows 7 sp 3 with broken GUI ? no thanks

    For it to be WIndows 7 it would have to have the exact same kernel, which it does not. The 8 kernel is much more optimized and as well a lot of back end parts of the OS run better than 7 does.

    I had the preview and like 8.1 more than 8. Thanks to my job we have TechNet and I was able to get a full copy before the launch.

    Running it right now and it feels better than even the preview did.
    Reply
  • xiinc37
    If you don't have internet access, you probably don't need the latest version of windows anyways.
    Reply
  • BigMack70
    I don't understand where the Windows 8 fans are hiding in the woodwork. I used it for a while, and it's awful for anything without a horizontal touch screen (i.e. anything not a tablet). Everyone I know who has used Windows 8 thinks it's terrible. The sales figures indicate that the majority of people think it's terrible.

    And yet, the prevailing trend in most comments sections is that the people pointing this out are labeled as either just complaining or as just refusing to try something new.

    I don't get it. Windows 8 is not a good OS, and 8.1 doesn't fix the things that, from a design perspective, are fundamentally flawed with Windows 8.
    Reply
  • soldier44
    No thanks.
    Reply