Windows 10 Will Be a Free Upgrade, but New Users Will Need to Shell Out Up to $199

Microsoft had earlier announced that Windows 10, the next major release of Windows, will be available to existing Windows users free of charge. This means that users who today have PCs or laptops running Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1 will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for free, within a year of the launch of Windows 10, which is set for July 29.

If you are currently running Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1, you'll be given a chance to upgrade to Windows 10 Home without any associated cost. Users running Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 8 Pro, or Windows 8.1 Pro can upgrade to Windows 10 Pro for free. You can reserve your free copy of Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro today.

(Also see: The difference between Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro)

However, if you are running an old version of Windows - like Windows XP - or building a new PC from scratch, you will need to purchase a copy of Windows 10. Microsoft on Monday officially confirmed that Windows 10 Home will be available at $119 (Rs. 7,500 approximately) and Windows 10 Pro will be priced at $199 (Rs. 12,600 approximately). Note that this is US pricing and Windows 10 is likely to be priced differently in India and other regions. There's no official word yet on the India price for Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro.

Microsoft is also offering a $99 (Rs. 6,300 approximately) Windows 10 Pro Pack, that will enable Windows 10 Home users to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro. So, you can upgrade from Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home Basic, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 Home for free, then if you feel the need for 'Pro' features, you can shell out the $99 to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro. Or, if you are assembling a new PC, you can start off by buying Windows 10 Home, and if you change your mind later, you can go Pro by paying $99, though you end up paying $19 more if you go this route, when compared to a straight Windows 10 Pro purchase.

(Also see: Microsoft Explains Why Windows 10 Will Be the Last Version of the OS)

Windows 10 is a major overhaul of the world's most popular operating system for computers, which will bring back the Start Menu and other new features. Of course Windows 10 is not just for desktop users, with Windows Phone set to become Windows 10 Mobile. Most Windows smartphones running Windows Phone 8 or above today will automatically receive the Windows 10 upgrade for free.