Vista OEM vs Retail

I've been using Vista for a couple of weeks now. I didn't have to pay for it but there are many who will be considering the upgrade. For anyone in that situation, I want them to know about the various versions so they can make the best choice. [image] OEM vs Retail OEM is

I've been using Vista for a couple of weeks now. I didn't have to pay for it but there are many who will be considering the upgrade. For anyone in that situation, I want them to know about the various versions so they can make the best choice.

OEM vs Retail

OEM is only allowed to be sold to system builders or to consumers with a piece of primary hardware (read: CPU, motherboard or hard disk) and has certain licensing differences over Retail including the inability to (legally) transfer the license to new hardware, as I covered last February.

Retail gives you more freedom in that respect and you should get a nice box but you will end up paying about 100% more for it! I've just checked the prices and ebuyer are asking for £328 inc VAT for retail -- an absolutely insane amount of money. MicroDirect are asking for £132 for the OEM version.

So there is only one logical step. If you want to buy Vista for a computer that doesn't have XP, you want to buy enough new hardware to offset the OEM justifications...

Upgrade vs Full

Upgrade doesn't exist for OEM versions but if you're on an XP machine and you're looking to upgrade, you'll be looking at a hefty £215.

At those prices I suggest you buy a wopping massive hard drive and an OEM copy. Upgrade will also require proof of ownership of the old XP installation.

It's rumoured that this could be quite fiddly if you're installing onto new hardware and could require you to install XP and then Vista.

Conclusion

If you're going to buy into Vista, ONLY consider buying the OEM version.

Written by Oli on Monday, 29 January 2007. Tagged with releases. Read 36815 times. If you liked it, please give it a digg.

1 to 10 of 24 < 1 2 3 >

#1 — Author comment /* 2 years, 11 months ago */

I've just had the chance to see the cross-sku upgrade prices and all I can say is: holy crap!

There is variable pricing, depending on who you go with but the prices seem to range from £120-£200 for a Business to Ultimate.

Compared to the OEM prices, they are just insanely high. How can MS (and partners) justify such a ridiculously high price?

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Oli Numero Uno

#2 /* 2 years, 11 months ago */

I was using XP and didn't fancy paying that much for the upgrade (which is always a pain anyway due to the red tape and hoops you have to jump through). I bought the OEM of Home Premium for about 70 quid and didn't have to order any hardware at the same time. I bought it from here in case that's useful for anyone.

The other thing to bear in mind about the OEM versions is that you have to choose 32 or 64 bit when you buy it, the retail versions have both versions.

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publicenergy Anonymous User

#3 /* 2 years, 11 months ago */

You do indeed have to install XP then Vista EVERYtime. I can see this being a major pain in the ass. Keep those XP CDs and key codes and prepare for a long, long install time. Just imagine if that is the case for any future releases (if there are any?) or if this had bee going on for some while. 95-98-XP-Vista-Windows 7.0, this is a bad move from MS in my book, just annoyance for no real gain. Further to this OMG!!!!!! Vista is twice, yes that's twice as expensive in Europe as it is in the US. MS say they have tried to price it using a global view (whatever that means) but due to currency fluctuations some disparity may appear!! Not impressed, though not as ridiculous as first bus company's ridiculous fare hikes for "Better value for money" and stopping of return tickets as part of "fare simplification". To be fair return bus tickets were a concept lost on everyone due to the complexity....or are they just trying to screw us for more money?

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Quixotic Anonymous User

#4 /* 2 years, 11 months ago */

After reading the story, I felt like buying the retail version was the correct choice. It seems to me that if you buy a new hard drive later, the OEM version won't load on it, as covered in the 1st paragraph. Plus, if you buy the full version, you should not have to load XP first. Another bonus, the retail version has both the 32 and 64 bit version. In the future, you should conceivably be able to upgrade to 64 bit without buying a whole new operating system. You might have to reformat, but you should do that every year or so anyway. I am not an expert, so you can't hold me responsible for anything I have written.

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daddyo Anonymous User

#5 — Author comment /* 2 years, 11 months ago */

Officially, the only piece of hardware they consider enforcing this on is the motherboard. Hard disks die too often and there are far too many different interfaces that they'd have to try and lock down to (RAID, standard, etc), whereas there's a pretty easy to access serial number for the motherboard's chipset.

This is the same as the XP OEM was in the end (see link above) and people could get around it by telling MS that their computer had died and they needed to replace the motherboard. MS does give sympathy.

OEM does not need a pre-install of XP. I've been seeing conflicting arguments about the "Upgrade" SKU. Some saying you do need a previous install, some saying you just need the key. Some saying they invalidate the XP key, most saying they don't. There's a lot of FUD around this topic.

>> You might have to reformat, but you should do that every year or so anyway.

No you shouldn't! That is just something we windows users have come to accept. Windows slows down (see articles page) when we install things and just USE Windows. Hopefully Vista will be better in this respect but I'm not hopeful.

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Oli Numero Uno

#6 /* 2 years, 11 months ago */

I also prefer full retail version than OEM version, as I can transfer my windows to a new hardware, let me more flexible. But the price seems more than 100% fold... What to do? had to buy it too. No matter use OEM or retail, it's better than using pirated version...

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VHanded Anonymous User

#7 /* 2 years, 11 months ago */

Had a look at Vista, still dont see why I should spend hard cash to upgrade from XP, MS haven't persuaded me to shell out..... perhaps when I buy a new laptop if it comes with Vista then OK.
However Office 2007, now that looks nice :-).

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Billp Anonymous User

#8 /* 2 years, 11 months ago */

I was going to buy the OEM, but after having read this i am afraid that I'll have to buy the retail version, even though unwilligly. Too many times I had to ring XP for authorization, and for as little as restoring my files from a backup; that's right: not a new piece of hardware! All in all it will be a better investment for when 64bit will start being needed, and I will avoid risk of having to buy the whole damn thing again. I would stick to XP, but I am building a new PC, so it's pointless not to go for Vista. But I am very unhappy about MS's move about authorized software, I think they deserve how much piracy hits them in every bit.

I would like to start seeing more games and softwarwe coming out for Linux, and then we should all start telling them where they can stick the Aero!

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Max Anonymous User

#9 /* 2 years, 11 months ago */

BTW just to let u guys know, the oem can be transfered to another computer, and simply requires a reactivation, not a repurchase. Phone ms and let them know its for the same machine and not a new pc and they will issue areactivation for you. So OEM all the way meladdos ;)

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Stan Anonymous User

#10 /* 2 years, 10 months ago */

I wonder why people pay for it.
I have been using Vista Ultimate for a month now.

Just download it & crack it.
instead of buying it for $450 donate $45 to the cracker.

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Sam Anonymous User

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