Microsoft will ship physical copies of Windows 10 on USB
Microsoft ditches physical discs for a USB stick as it opens Windows 10 pre-orders in the US
We known for some time that Windows 10 will be available for download on 29th July, but so far Microsoft has been rather vague about when boxed copies of its new OS will be available for purchase. Today, we have an answer, as Microsoft has announced that physical copies of Windows 10 are now available to pre-order in the US on a USB stick.
In a statement to VentureBeat, Microsoft said, “Windows 10 will be available on USB drives for purchase in retail channels shortly after launch. The suggested retail prices for Windows 10 in the U.S. are the same as Windows 8.1.”
This will come as welcome news for anyone who no longer has a DVD drive in their laptop or PC, as previous boxed versions of Microsoft’s operating systems have only been available on DVD discs. This should make Windows 10 much easier to install, but bizarrely, the USB sticks are nowhere to be seen on Microsoft’s own site.
They have, however, been spotted on Amazon US. At the moment, the suggested shipping date is 16th August, which is over two weeks after its official launch date of 29th July. Windows 10 Home edition will cost $119.99 while Windows 10 Pro will cost $199.99.
This confirms earlier rumours from PC World, but Microsoft has yet to confirm UK pricing for Windows 10, or indeed whether we’ll be able to buy it via USB stick as well. However, all Windows 7 and 8 users will be eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 10 when it launches on 29th July, so unless you’re still running Windows XP or Windows Vista, you should be able to take the plunge free of charge without having to wait. We’ll bring you more information as soon as it’s announced.
today Microsoft has announced that customers in the US will be able to pre-order physical copies of its new operating system on a USB stick.