Laptop prices to fall when Vista is released?

Hi guys,

Recently a few people told me that when Vista is released, hardware prices and the cost of notebooks in general will fall (I have been told by a lot from some people and by a little bit from others). I do not know their reasoning or their sources behind this and I want to know whether it is true or not.

I have 2 questions:

1). Can you confirm whether this is true or not? Will hardware prices fall, and the cost in general of notebooks fall, whether it's by a little or a lot, when Vista is released? Also, can you tell me your source and your reasoning?
(If not, will it stay the same or rise?)
2). Has the exact release date of the consumer version of Windows Vista been revealed yet? If yes, can you please tell me this date? I am having trouble finding it (yes, I have looked ).

Thankyou to anyone that can help.
Peter.

 

I doubt hardware prices are going to fall, but it's going to cost more to buy a computer that will run Aero decently.

 

I think that people will be forced to either update or replace their computers when Vista comes out. The "wow" factor of Vista will probably entice a lot of people, who will see how inferior their system is when trying to run features like aero. If supply can hold up to the increased number of consumers looking to buy faster hardware, it is possible for prices to drop. However, if manufacturers can't keep up with the demand created by Vista buyers, I think it's possible for the level of demand to freeze prices from their regular decline over time. Just my theory anyways...

 

Thanks for your quick replies guys!

4cefed4, I think that was their (the people who told me this') reasoning as well.

And for the second part of my question, do you guys (or anyone else) know when the exact release date of Vista will be for consumers? Has this been confirmed yet?

Thanks alot.
Peter

 

At this moment, I don't think Microsoft has committed to a final release date. The current range I have heard is from it being on the shelves for Christmas 06 to it not being available until sometime in Q1 2007. Maybe someone else has some other insight.

 

Nah, it shouldn't effect hardware costs. It won't drive THAT many sales. A lot of people don't go out to get the latest OS release (nor should you). The target release date was supposed to be January, but I'm not sure if they'll make it. Those testing RC2 say it has a while to go before it's ready.
Remember, more demand for a product doesn't necesarily mean lower prices. Really, the biggest reason I see to move to Vista now is for DX10. Many of the games coming out, starting in 2007, can suport DX10 which is only supported in Vista.
But overall, I've never seen an OS release from MS really push hardware sales enough to matter. A big part of revenue for system building companies(ie dell) is from big businesses and schools. They don't upgrade just because a new OS comes out. Lots of companies still use 98 and 2000. We may see a slight flux in video card prices, but those are always changing as well.

 

I think as Marketing goes, you will definitely see a price drop for at least the first 4 - 6 months after Vista Retail drops.

But after that, better/Newer hardware will come out that will cost .

I notice the Tech corps like to get rid of the excess, then introduce newer hardware at regular or high prices.

 

Probably the older laptops that can't run Vista or would have difficulty running Vista would drop. Because they are becoming obsolete ... maybe.

 

Vista Home Basic, and Vista Small Business don't run Aero. People that are looking for an "XP-Home" type OS don't need a monster to run it. If that was the case, MS would have a hard time meeting projected numbers. Aero runs on Premium and above. In that case you'll need at minimum a high-end integrated card and probably a GB of RAM. That is why there are several different versions of the OS...so they match with the different sorts of people out there.

Now, no matter what version you're running, 256mb RAM and a low-end processor will most definitely not cut it. It's a good thing memory is cheapening.

I'd say, considering they're already using upgrade coupons and temp-selling RC1, we should see the final release in January for sure. I've used all of the betas, and the most recent is **** near ready. It's very quality from what I've tested, with lots of good features. We'll see.

 

hardware MIGHT fall but the net cost will not... Windows Vista will cost more than XP

 

I think the price willl stay the same but with newer and better hardware.
For example, the core duo price (now like $150,example)will drop even more when santa rosa is released(then is like $100), like this, it seems like the price is dropping but in fact, the newer hardware, Santa Rosa Core2Duo would cost the same as u would get last time($150). Hope u understand what i m trying to say.

 

i think prices will drop for those systems that cant run vista

 

I agree with ttupa the home version & home premium will not run Areo,so I feel the OS won't require big upgrades for hardware.But if you're going to use business,enterprise or ultimate you will need better hardware.The current release date for Vista is January 30th 2007.
Home $200
Premium$240
Business$300
Enterprise:Volume pricing only
Ultimate$400, with upgrading being cheaper from version to version

 

"Probably the older laptops that can't run Vista or would have difficulty running Vista would drop. Because they are becoming obsolete ... maybe."

For a long time I've been wondering and arguing whether Vista will really render XP obsolete... XP can do everything that Vista can, albeit slower. This does not mean that XP is obsolete. For this reason, it is difficult to say for sure whether Vista will increase hardware prices or not. On one hand, one will require more expensive equipment to run the new OS, but on the other, the new OS doesn't offer anything unique and if many people abhor from buying it for that reason, hardware prices will stay down.

Personally I think that Vista will increase prices for some models and keep the same prices for others. Lets say that Sony/Sager/Asus/Alienware, all high-end laptop companies, are forced to incorporate a minimum GPU (and other components) with the power of ATI's X1600 in order to keep their products up-to-date and capable of taking advantage of Vista. This will increase the model price.

But at the same time, consider model prices if some cheap company like Acer or Dell keep making laptops with GPUs that can't run Aero, or laptops that still have mono-core CPUs like the Turion or the Centrino. In this case, prices will stay the same (if manufacturers are trying to clear stock when Vista comes out or just rip you off) or decrease b/c the hardware can't take advantage of Vista's capabilities.

But let me say one more thing:
XP has been Microsoft's latest OS for too long now. Although it offers the same range of hardware support that Vista does, it is only because these capabilities have been added to the OS after it was released, despite the fact that it wasn't designed for things like EVDO networks or dual-core CPUs or GPUs. Vista is now designed to streamline the integration of these new technologies that are coming out. It really doesn't do anything else. FOr that reason, I have to say that Vista will not be a necessary upgrade, but it will be an upgrade that makes the use of the future's new hardware easier to use.

 

The title of this thread should be "Laptop prices to RISE when Vista is released".

 

Extract from notebookreview.com news:
No matter which version of Windows XP a consumer purchases with a new PC this holiday season, there will be no upgrade path to Windows Vista Ultimate. The top-end Ultimate version is absent from Microsoft's Windows Vista Upgrade program, and there will be no discounted upgrade. The program offers upgrades from Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 to Windows Vista Home Premium, and upgrades from Windows XP Professional, XP Tablet PC Edition, and XP Professional x64 edition to Windows Vista Business and Vista Business 64 for a nominal fee. Those wanting to upgrade from XP Home Edition will be offered Vista Home Basic and Vista Home Premium with a 50 percent discount.

In other Windows Vista news, Acer claims that the most basic version of Vista, Home Basic, will be so feature-deprived that customers will simply reject it. Senior corporate vice president at Acer, Jim Wong, said in a statement that "The new [Vista] experience you hear of, if you get Basic, you won't feel it at all. There's no [Aero] graphics, no Media Center, no remote control." Wong also said that he was displeased with Microsoft for raising the price of its manufacturer's license price by 10 percent from XP Home to Vista Home Basic. "We have to pay more but users are not going to pay more," said Wong.
***************
I don't know about you, but this means I won't be upgrading my OS to Vista unless:
- I buy a new computer altogether
or
- my university offers a Vista license for cheap change (unlikely since Vista doesn't do anything new)

 

My thing is this:

I want Vista. I want a new laptop. I want a new laptop that can run Vista Premium with Aero, and run it pretty well.

I also don't want to get some f'in pimped out graphics card to make it happen because I don't really care about any games in the last 2 years.

My question is this, will the integrated options be bumped up at all? Whatever I'm looking at has the Geforce Go 6150.. but will that change? It'd be sweet if it did. I just know there's no way in hell I'm getting anything with an Intel 950 or whatever.

And secondly, if things do change, when will it happen? I'm already itching to get a new system, I've got $3k of same as cash for 6 months in HP's store, I want to buy

 

What's with all of the *****ing about vista needing hardcore graphics cards to run aero? From what I've read, GMA 950 runs aero very well in the latest builds. Is this exaggerated, or is everybody just microsoft bashing?

 

I think prices will fall even if Vista fails to impress. Laptops are so mainstream that there will always be a huge market for budjet notebooks with "XP".
Bring it on! We consumers need a break

 

Nah, it shouldn't effect hardware costs. It won't drive THAT many sales. A lot of people don't go out to get the latest OS release (nor should you). The target release date was supposed to be January, but I'm not sure if they'll make it. Those testing RC2 say it has a while to go before it's ready.
===
I am sorry.. but, I am going to be honest.

I am in a college marketing class (along with a highschool D.E.C.A.) class. I have learned.. at an incredible fast pace.. consumers are idiots. We have one girl in my class who said "I will pay more for a certain product even if its the same as another one just because it has a prettier package".. the sad part is.. she is the girl who is always complaining about how much her insurance cost, barrowing money, and complaining about how her job sucks. I could go on ranting forever.

But, I am going to say this.. most people will pay 50 dollars for a pair of pants that are the same as you get at walmart for about 5 dollars with the major difference being the 50 dollar pair has a little one to two in logo that says the brand name.

EVERYONE in my class was willing to defend buying the ripoff pair of pants.. yet, felt paying 200 dollars for an ipod was unreasonable because their 50 dollar mp3 player worked just the same.. The key difference.. the pants had a logo which is useless.. the ipod had 28 extra gigabytes which could actually be used..

Sorry for my prolonged jibbering... but, it helps illustraite my point which is this. Most laptops you get now are "vista capable". If vista is pretty enough.. all it needs is to be pretty.. it doesn't need an actual use.. and people will blindly buy it thinking it is jesus in a box.

So.. if laptops we have now are "vista capable" .. as soon as vista comes out.. everyone is going to want vista.. and current hardware will get more expensive because your average person is not computer literate. They will blindly believe that "vista capable" means "runs vista perfectly with no flaws what so ever".

So current laptops won't really go down in price... they may even go up *IF* vista goes over that well.. since current software is capable of using it.

I was considering waiting till vista came out.. then decided not to worry about it.. if needed I can add more hardware space, I already will have 2 gigs ram.. plus another 256 dedicated from the graphics card.

the market is unpredictable.. prices could sore because of idiot buyers. The buyers may be smarter then I'm giving them credit for.. and vista may not go wild..so things may not change.. but, i seriously doubt there will be that much of a drop in current hardware since its "capatable" ... and thats all most buyers need to hear..

I dunno whether to hate.. or love ignorance..