ASUS Eee PC with Windows XP lands in Australia

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 03 March 2008 06:57

Opinion and Analysis

Unfortunately, the ASUS press release does not list a price for the XP Eee PC.

We contacted their public relations company, to ask whether an XP version would be marginally more expensive due to the fact XP costs computer OEMs a small amount of money per copy (much cheaper than retail or upgrade copies), or if the price differential would be more substantial.

In my mind, marginally more expensive would have to be less than AUD $50. Sadly, ASUS’ PR agency simply did not know what the price would be, and could not give me an indication either way, although the price would be released soon. If the price is substantially higher, the question would be, why?

ASUS have confirmed the Australian price is AUD $579 including GST and that the unit will be available on the Australian market from the second week of March 2008. This means, compared with an AUD $499 Linux Eee PC, a Windows XP license costs AUD $80.

My other question(s) to the ASUS PR people revolved around the likelihood that some ASUS Eee PC users might want to experience Linux. Of course there is a Linux version already on sale, but chances are some people will receive these as gifts, with the buyer getting the ‘Windows version’ because they’re familiar with Windows and don’t know what this Linux thing is.

Now, we know that if you have purchased the Linux version, but you want to load your own legal copy of Windows XP, ASUS provides XP drivers for download from their website.

But will ASUS provide the Linux OS for the Eee PC for free download if I want to go from Windows to Linux? Will it be free, or will there be a cost? Update: Asus have acknowledged this question and will respond soon.

Also, are there Linux discs – along with the XP discs – already in the box?

If there isn’t a free Linux download from ASUS, then why not?

We are awaiting the answers to these questions (and any others we can think up) and will report the answers in a follow up story, while also updating this report.

Still the release of a pre-loaded XP version of the Eee PC should increase its popularity even further.

No doubt the sales people and bean counters at ASUS will continue exclaiming ‘Wheee!’ at all the interest and sales!