A reminder: Microsoft is offering Win7 Upgrade versions at a significantly reduced price until this saturday.

Preorder Windows 7 cheaply

In select markets, Microsoft is offering its customers the ability to preorder Windows 7 upgrade versions at a significantly reduced price. This is easily the most aggressive pricing Microsoft has ever offered for Windows. The low preorder price will vary per country:

• US: Windows 7 Home Premium ($49.99) and Windows 7 Professional ($99.99)
• Canada: Windows 7 Home Premium ($64.99) and Windows 7 Professional ($124.99)
• Japan: Windows 7 Home Premium (¥7,407) and Windows 7 Professional (¥14,073)
• UK: Windows 7 Home Premium (£49.99) and Windows 7 Professional (£99.99)
• France and Germany: Windows 7 Home Premium (€49.99) and Windows 7 Professional (€109.99)

The deal includes select retail partners, such as Best Buy and Amazon, as well as the online Microsoft Store. This program begins Friday, June 26 in the US, Canada, and Japan. It goes on while supplies last or until July 11 in the US and Canada, and until July 5 in Japan. For the UK, France, and Germany, the preorder starts July 15 and runs while supplies last or until August 14. Microsoft was not willing to discuss the limits of the supplies, but a spokesperson did confirm to Ars that the reduced prices for the European countries will simply apply to the full version (as noted above), as upgrade versions will not exist in Europe. In short, these preorders will allow those in the UK, Germany, and France to purchase full versions of Home Premium or Professional, except without IE8, for a very low price.