Windows 7 Starter leads the way on netbooks, demands premium

We've already seen plenty of Windows 7 laptops and desktops up for order, but it looks like we're now finally starting to see how things will shake out on netbooks as well. After much confusion in the early days of Windows 7, it appears that Windows 7 Starter edition will indeed be the standard issue offering on the majority of netbooks, and it looks like it'll also demand a slight premium over otherwise comparable XP-based systems. In most cases, Windows 7 Starter seems to add $30 to the cost of a netbook (as with the Dell Mini 10v pictured above), or $50 in Canada if the first few listings on Future Shop are any indication -- which, as Digital Home Thoughts points out, would appear to be quite a bit more than the license fee manufacturers are paying. Of course, there are also a few netbooks that break the mold with Windows 7 Home Premium, and it unsurprisingly appears to be the standard offering on low-cost thin and lights that eschew the netbook moniker altogether. Hit up the link below for a rundown of some of the options already available to order, which is sure to grow considerably in the next few days.

[Via Digital Home Thoughts]

[daytripper Posted Oct 19th 2009 8:40PM]

ew, your mom

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 19th 2009 8:46PM]

uh yeah I'd gladly pay $30 more on a $300-400 item to have an OS that isn't 8 years old.

as a side note is there a decline in linux netbooks? Most I see in sales are running Win now

[Plothole Posted Oct 19th 2009 9:51PM]

XP is no less functional now than it was 8 years ago. Plus this is the heavily crippled Windows 7 Starter Edition we're talking about.

[acniehaus03 Posted Oct 19th 2009 9:58PM]

home premium runs perfectly fine on my old ass dell inspiron 1150 from 2004, i imagine any netbook today could easily run home premium instead of starter...

[Plothole Posted Oct 19th 2009 10:28PM]

The issue is licensing fees. One major reason OEMs chose Windows XP is because Microsoft offered it to them for cheap (under $15 by some reports). This is why the price difference between Linux and Windows based netbooks ended up being minimal. Now Starter Edition will cost more than Windows XP, but still less than the standard Home Premium license. For netbook manufacturers aiming for a certain price point, that's a bit deal.

I suppose Dell could offer Home as an upgrade, but then I'm certain they would much rather sell you a *regular* laptop with it preloaded.

[mlayer Posted Oct 19th 2009 11:20PM]

This licensing pricing problem is the opening Google needs to get Chrome OS in, assuming they can release it in the next year. Unlike the various current Linux offerings, the regular consumer knows the Google name and trusts it.

Even at +$30 for Win 7 Starter, Microsoft is not making much money if any at all. They're just trying to maintain market share. The question is whether or not it's truly worthwhile. I don't blame them for trying to recoup the investment, but the feature crippling seems arbitrary.

[RichoVonBlck Posted Oct 20th 2009 5:47AM]

Windows 7 Starter

Maximum physical CPUs supported 1
Home Group (create and join) Join only
Backup and Restore Center[37] Cannot back up to network
Multiple monitors No
Fast user switching No
Desktop Wallpaper Changeable No
Desktop Window Manager No
Windows Mobility Center No
Windows Aero No
Multi-Touch No
Premium Games Included No
Windows Media Center No
Windows Media Player Remote Media Experience[38] No
Encrypting File System No
Location Aware Printing No
Remote Desktop Host No
Presentation Mode No
Windows Server domain joining No
Windows XP Mode[39] No
Aero glass remoting No
AppLocker No
BitLocker Drive Encryption No
BranchCache Distributed Cache No
DirectAccess No
Subsystem for Unix-based Applications No
Multilingual User Interface Pack No
Virtual Hard Disk Booting No
Ok ,it’s a crippled Os, but there is a market, let’s face it WE want the extra bling but there are those out there in the world that only need the raw controllable basics, schools, emerging markets ,the poor and lets give credit,,,,,,,,AN ARMY OF HACKERS! , who wants to bet this “starter” snot gets whipped real soon ? any takers?,

[rancho1 Posted Oct 24th 2009 4:32PM]

Umm, how much of that long list is even available in Windows 7 Home Premium, much less XP Home?
A list of only items cut from Home Premium for Starter edition would be more useful.

[(Unverified) Posted Oct 21st 2009 9:02PM]

XP users will be SOL when Flash, IE and Firefox stop working. The time is coming...