Article By:  Miguel

Article Date:  11/26/06

  Final RTM versions of both Windows Vista and Office 2007 have spread like wildfire on the net.  Despite its scheduled standalone product release of January 30th 2007, both have been leaked and have managed to make their rounds on the net.  We've got both, and have installed and played with them for a while now.  In this short article, we not only show you some screenshots of the final RTM builds, but also provide an overview on both, briefly touching hardware support, current software support, pricing, versions available and more.

Windows Vista:  Pricing & Editions

The RTM release is for manufacturers and you'll see these editions in new desktops and laptops very soon!  However, for those system builders, the retail versions will set you back quite a bit, resulting in higher costs for new system builds featuring the new Operating System or Office Suite. 

If it wasn't complicated enough, Microsoft has decided to provide a number of different editions of Windows Vista, depending on a user's specific needs.  Let's take a quick look at what features each will and will not support. 

There will be a total of four editions, Vista Ultimate being the most feature-rich edition available.  The Home Basic is well...basic.  It is the only edition that will not feature the new Aero Interface and also lacks many other key features most look for.  I don't see many using this version, unless it is purchased along with a new desktop or laptop.  Also, note that even the Home Premium edition will not have Remote Desktop support out of the box.  Also, note that the Business Edition will lack all Media Center Features.  Windows Vista Ultimate will allow you to take advantage of all it has to offer. 

What about 64-bit Editions?

Yes, there will also be 64-bit editions of Home, Business and Ultimate Editions.  For those wondering, every edition will offer the option of installing either the 32-bit or 64-bit version.  This is part of the installation.

Now, let's have a look at suggested retail pricing for each edition...

Windows Vista has had, without a doubt, one of the longest development cycles.  Vista has been in development for roughly 5+ years.  That's a lot of time and money.  What does this mean to the consumer?  Extremely high price tags!  Vista will not come cheap, and it is why it has many in the Warez & Hacking community outraged, releasing not only all final editions, but many hacks and cracks to get around many things, including activation.  Yes, activation has already been hacked...sort of. 

The most basic edition of Vista, offering very little in terms of features, will set you back $99 for an upgrade or $199 for the full version.  I strongly feel that's just too much money to pay for a product that has been stripped down of just about every useful feature.  You want the Ultimate Edition?  Well, you have to pay the ultimate price for it!  Vista Ultimate will go as high as $400.  Personally, that's a ridiculous amount of money to pay for an Operating System.   I do not see many IT professionals implementing the new Operating System anytime soon, not only due to the costs involved, but many other issues that should be looked at prior to implementation.

Office 2007:  Pricing & Editions

If you thought four editions of Vista was confusing enough, wait till you take a look at the Office 2007 product lineup!  In this article, I will focus primarily on the suites rather than individual applications.  Below is a table of the editions that will be available...

The way Microsoft has finally decided to distribute their new Office Suite will certainly frustrate many.  Things have changed quite a bit, and unlike Vista, the Ultimate Edition is no longer the most feature-rich Suite.   Well, it is, but only to consumers.  Microsoft has added additional suites for volume licensing customers.  This makes the Office 2007 Enterprise Edition the most feature-rich Office Suite.  Note that out of the eight suites available, only four will offer Outlook.  The Ultimate Edition doesn't even include it. 

So, pay a whopping $679 and no Outlook?!  This is, once again, completely absurd and will certainly aggravate a majority of potential buyers.  The Basic edition will be OEM only and most likely the version most system builders will choose.

Now that we have taken a quick look at each edition and what their estimated price tags will be, let's get to the good stuff and jump to the preview of both.

Next: Current Support & Screenshots