Fancy yourself a system builder, do you? As long as you’re willing to do a clean install of Windows 7, you can grab a full OEM version for cheaper than the same retail upgrade version. Newegg has rolled out its selection of Windows 7 OEM packages (there are preorder discounts available until October 20th), so let’s take a look at what’s available.
Windows 7 Home Premium
- Full OEM: $110
- Full OEM 3-Pack: $310
- Retail Upgrade: $120
- Full Retail: $200
Windows 7 Professional
- Full OEM: $140
- Full OEM 3-Pack: Not Available
- Retail Upgrade: $200
- Full Retail: $300
Windows 7 Ultimate
- Full OEM: $190
- Full OEM 3-Pack: $550
- Retail Upgrade: $220
- Full Retail: $320
You’ll have to purchase at least Windows 7 Home Premium, and it’s important to note that these OEM versions can’t be transferred to different computers. They’ll be tied to whichever one they’re initially installed on. Looks like the Windows 7 Professional OEM offers the biggest bang for the buck as far as savings are concerned.
Windows 7 [Newegg via Ars Technica]