Special Windows 8 Upgrade Pricing to End on January 31

To those considering making the leap to Windows 8: you’ll want to do so soon. Microsoft late last week posted on its official Windows blog that the promotional pricing for its latest OS is set to expire at the end of the month – that is, a Windows 8 Pro upgrade key for $39.99. To qualify, you must be upgrading from either XP SP3, Vista or 7. To my knowledge, this key will work with a non-upgrade version of the OS as well, if you happen to source the ISO yourself.

Pricing after January 31 is as follows:

• The Windows 8 Pro upgrade edition will be available online and at retail for $199.99 MSRP (U.S.).
• The Windows 8 upgrade edition will be available online and at retail for $119.99 MSRP (U.S.).
• The Windows 8 Pro Pack will cost $99.99 MSRP (U.S.).
• The Windows 8 Media Center Pack will cost $9.99 MSRP (U.S.).

To take advantage of the promotional pricing, you can head on over to the official Windows shop. If you prefer to get a disc with your copy, you can score $69.99 versions at select retail stores. Already own Windows 8 Pro? Go and grab the Media Center Pack for free (also expires on the 31st, a $10 value).