
If you were planning to rush out and purchase a Windows 8 PC this weekend, you may want to hold off for a bit, or least hang onto your receipt in case the model you're interested in receives a discount after the fact. Price cuts for Windows 8 PCs are en route, though depending on which report you read, Microsoft has already started doling out the savings. Let's have a look.
According to DigiTimes, touchscreen notebooks running Windows 8 will drop in price by at least 10 percent due to licensing fee discounts by Microsoft. Some entry-level and mainstream models could see price reductions as high as 20 percent or more. DigiTimes' sources say the sweetspot for touchscreen notebooks will end up in the $500 range, or about the cost of a premium tablet.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal is reporting that some of the discounts are already in effect, though it didn't go on to mention specific models or retailers. When pressed for details about the rumored discounts, a Microsoft spokesman offered up a rather canned response.
"As we've said before, Windows 8 was built to scale across all sizes of PCs and tablets -- large and small. We continue to work with partners to ensure that Windows is available across a diverse range of devices," a Microsoft spokesman told WSJ.
It was reported in January that Microsoft was at odds with PC makers for failing to fully prepare themselves for the launch of Windows 8, leading to lackluster sales and a softening of the PC market in general.
In related news, Best Buy is currently offering $100 off any Windows 8 touchscreen PC, a promotion that began February 24 and runs until March 9.
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