Why does the price of Win 10 vary so much?

Tony EH

So, it looks like I'll have to finally retire Win 7 and get Win 10. I'm not looking forward to it TBH. I have Win 10 on a laptop and it's not my cup of tea.

However, looking around I see that the cost of Win 10 can vary wildly. On Amazon UK, there's a version for for 80 quid.


https://www.amazon.co.uk/Windows-Professional-Bit-OEM-DVD/dp/B08354SN8G/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=windows+10+pro&qid=1591621599&sr=8-8


Or it's 132 quid here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-Windows-Professional-Bit-OEM/dp/B010S3VVJW/ref=sr_1_18?dchild=1&keywords=windows+10+pro&qid=1591621700&sr=8-18





Then on Overclockers, it costs 150 quid.

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/microsoft-windows-10-pro-64-bit-dvd-oem-ms-fqc-08929-sw-173-ms.html


This is probably a stupid questions, but what's going on? What's the catch with the 80 quid ones?

Shlippery

Or, you can install it for Free with a tiny activation watermark at the bottom right and nothing else to worry about!

It's not the worst if you remove all the junk!

In fact, i'm pretty sure if you own Windows 7 legit, it should let you upgrade it for free when you run this:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Robert ninja

^ I tried to use my W7 key to get W10 once and it rejected it so I don't think it works all the time. As Shlippery said you can use the free version of W10 if you don't mind the small restrictions. I just stopped using windows completely when it rejected my key upgrade.

You'd be mad paying anything close to €80 for a windows key these days. You can easily find keys for €15~30ish on grey market key sites if you really wish to lock in the license.

Homelander

I had the watermark version for about 2 years and it was fine, eventually I just got a key for €5 off Ebay just to remove it for watching movies and the like, though honestly your brain filters it out and it's not an intrusive watermark.

Tony EH

Yeh, the watermark thing won't do. I watch movies on the machine frequently and that would just annoy the hell out of me. I lose my crap when I have to watch something with a stupid station ID. So a watermark on my screen all the time is a no no.

The thing I'm wondering is, if the £80 Win 10 on Amazon is legit I'll get that. But is it a one off activation or something like that? Or can I install it across multiple machines/multiple times and whatnot. I just want to know what the catch is.

I got burned by Microsoft's limited install licence on a copy of Office a few years ago, when I found out to my dismay that I couldn't install my purchased copy more than five times or something like that. I ended up torrenting a pirate copy, because I use Excel all the time. I shouldn't have to go through the bother of that when I buy software.

Alun

I was in the same boat recently with an HTPC that needed upgrading. Got annoyed by the watermark so bought a licence from here ...

https://www.digitallicense.nl/windows-10-home-ie-oem-32-64-bits

for €17.50. It's an OEM licence, so I think strictly speaking they shouldn't be selling them, they're for system builders only, but it worked perfectly. They seemed a bit more legit than some of the dodgy eBay sellers.

EoinHef

OEM has one activation on one computer,exceptions have been known to be made if you do a hardware swap,say just replace a motherboard. That usually involved a call to MS though.

Retail keys can be transferred to different PC's.

If you are set on getting a copy of windows from an official seller get a retail key.

Although like most here,id get a key for as cheap as possible. If that gets deactivated just get another. I think I paid €5 for a key a few years ago now and I've had no issues

PhilOssophy

Wait, you are crazy enough to pay for Windows 10??
Google.....getting Windows 10 for free....