Windows 7 Officially Launches in the Philippines

Posted on November 9th, 2009. Written by Rico.

The latest version of Microsoft Windows finally debuted last Saturday in the Philippines. Official pricing and availability info follows, as well advice on what Windows 7 edition you should get.

Official Windows 7 Prices in the Philippines

Version	Price
Home Basic	P8,000
Home Premium	P9,500
Professional	P15,500
Ultimate	P16,500

(See Prices for Windows 7 in the Philippines for unofficial prices, from various vendors)

The good news? Computers bought within June 26, 2009 to January 31, 2010 that came with Windows Vista pre-installed may qualify for a free upgrade to Windows 7. Contact your retailer for more details.

The bad news? The prices are, well, a bit pricey. I understand Microsoft has to make money, but how about coming a bit closer to the pirate’s price? I’m personally willing to pay the prices above for Windows 7, but not everyone’s as willing as me! (During the launch event, Microsoft discounted Windows 7, selling the various editions at the prices listed in the first picture above)

More good news however: for those who shop for a computer at big retailers, there’s no need to worry about paying for Windows 7—the operating system is already part of the PC’s final cost.

Availability

Windows 7 should be available from major computer retailers by the time you read this. The operating system is also available through “smaller” sellers.

Why Use Windows 7 in the First Place?

Good question. I first used Windows 7 when it became available as a beta, and was impressed with how it genuinely made things faster and easier to do. Definitely unlike Vista, the previous version of Windows, which was plagued with bugs when it first launched. If by now you haven’t noticed, at least one reviewer has called Windows 7 “the Windows Vista should’ve been”. And I definitely agree with that message, and so does Microsoft spokesperson Kylie:

Tessa Prieto-Valdes Holding Windows 7

Which Windows 7 Edition Should I Get?

Unless you’re a hardcore computer user who plans to use every feature available on Windows 7, go for Home Basic, or pay a bit more for Home Premium if you want to use Windows Media Center. Home Basic is a special version made available only in “emerging markets” like the Philippines, while Home Premium adds a little more bells and whistles like a better-looking interface and Windows Media Center.

Professional and Ultimate are aptly named, as they’re designed for those who need features like advanced network management and file encryption. The point is that even avid PC gamers will have a hard time making use of all the features of these very expensive editions of Windows 7. Why pay for what you don’t need, after all?