Study: Vista More Cost-Effective than XP

Bet you never thought Windows Vista was a great deal; however, the new operating system from Microsoft, which ships in its cheapest, non-upgrade form for a substantial $200, is being touted as very economical by the company behind its creation. More cost-efficient, in fact, than even XP. (Source: bestbuy.com)

The story is emerging from a recent Microsoft-commissioned study delving into the total cost of using its operating systems on a mobile PC. According to MS, owning Vista in this capacity is a reported $605 cheaper than its older OS, Windows XP.

The mobile prices themselves are quite high. Research groups Wipro and GCR Custom Research found that owning a Windows XP machine costs about $4,407 each year, with Vista substantially less at $3,802. This includes hardware, software, the use of IT professionals, and other user costs. Given the rising popularity of the mobile PC versus the ancient desktop, the study produces some fascinating results for those in the corporate or even home user consumer environment.

Upgrading to Vista will also save users money, according to GCR and Wipro. Their calculations place each computer's savings at just over $250 per year, stemming from enhanced security, hardware, software, and desktop engineering. Improvements to the XP model include diagnosing network issues, backup/restore, and security functions that can both prevent and repair damage. (Source: pcworld.com)

The survey itself was rather widespread. It included 131 organizations currently using XP, with one IT manager and three end-users polled at each one.

Overall, the study should help Microsoft make Vista more attractive as it nears beta testing of its much-anticipated Service Pack 1 (SP1) update. With the controversial operating system nearing its one year anniversary in the corporate environment, it will be hard for business users to ignore the above savings.

Note: There's no word on how friendly GCR or Wipro are with Microsoft, who selected the groups for their study.