Microsoft is slowly but surely allowing Windows 10 to poke its nose out of the bag, with a series of previews having given the world its first glimpse of what’s to come. Of course, there’s still a pretty sizeable chunk of the community wondering what the heck happened to Windows 9, but on the whole it’s all shaping up to be a pretty bright year for those with a fondness for the world’s number-one operating system.

Of course, as the time of any new hardware or software’s release date drawn nearer, quite a few questions are asked with regard to the best time to make an investment. Is now the time to buy a new PC? Is it worth buying a Windows 8 laptop or holding out? What about the laptop I bought recently?

Well, the good news is that this time around it seems like Microsoft is indeed making its moves entirely on behalf of its customers, which in turn is making things on the purchase side of the equation a whole lot easier.

Should I Buy a PC Now or Wait for Windows 10?
This simple answer to this question is that it’s entirely up to you – there’s no difference either way. The reason being that for the first time in a long time, Microsoft will be offering Windows 10 as a 100% free upgrade for qualifying Windows users, which will include those using a current or past-generation build of Windows 8.1, Windows 8 and even Windows 7. As such, it really doesn’t matter if you go for a superbly cheap Windows 8 PC today or hold out to buy that new laptop for a while longer, as even if you picked up your computer some time ago you’ll still be able to upgrade to the latest version of Windows for free.

Terms and conditions do however apply…mostly for business users…so do check with the official Windows 10 blog if you’re unsure.

What’s the Catch?
Funnily enough, there isn’t one! It seems unheard of for such a valuable upgrade to be offered free of charge, but the simple fact of the matter is that in this instance Microsoft really doesn’t have much of a choice. Folk generally didn’t respond to Windows 8 as positively as expected, which in turn led to millions staying put with Windows 7. And as Microsoft wants to get as many people as possible up to date with its OS, Windows 10 will summarily be offered free to Windows 7 and 8 users alike.

Will Windows 10 Affect the Price of Hardware On Sale?
In a word, no. With Windows 10 being a free upgrade, it’s really not as if the software itself will be a key selling point for new hardware as those that have been using the same machines for years will be able to upgrade to the same hardware for free. As such, when the new software does make its way out later this year, a brand new Windows 10 PC or laptop will not cost any more than a comparable Windows 8 machine with the same hardware.

Thinking of buying a new PC this year? Give our service team a call today for a no-obligation chat.