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<\/a><\/p>\nUnsurprisingly, these prices are identical to what Windows 8 currently retails for. However, Microsoft will be selling boxed copies of Windows 8.1 as full versions, rather than an upgrade version like Windows 8 was. This means those who purchase a retail SKU of Windows 8.1 won’t need a previous version of Windows on their PCs to install, allowing more flexibility than what’s currently on offer. Although Windows 8.1 will be available as a free upgrade to everyone running Windows 8, Microsoft will still be offering 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\nInterestingly, Windows 8.1 retail SKUs will not facilitate upgrades from Windows 7 or earlier. Users who are running Windows 7 will have their files transferred, but desktop applications will need reinstalling; users on older versions such as XP or Vista will have nothing transferred, with the installer essentially performing a clean install. In either case it might be advisable to buy a copy of Windows 8 rather than Windows 8.1, which would allow a proper upgrade to be performed, followed by the free update to Windows 8.1.
\nWindows 8.1 will launch on October 18th, bringing a range of new features and enhancements to the popular operating system. Anyone currently running Windows 8 will be able to upgrade for free through the Windows Store, while anyone else will be able to grab a retail SKU from their favorite retailer.
\nvia Windows 8.1 retail pricing & packaging revealed, full versions return – TechSpot<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"