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According to new data from market research firm Current Analysis, Microsoft 's Windows Vista launch has been a boon to PC manufacturers, stimulating triple-digital sales increases during the first week Vista-equipped machines came to market.

Overall PC unit sales for the week ending February 3 jumped 173 percent over sales from the previous week and 67 percent year-over-year, the research group reported. Retailers and PC makers alike welcomed the news in light of sagging PC sales during the previous five-week period while the world awaited the launch of Vista.
"Consumers who wanted Vista may have had no choice but to purchase new hardware to run the operating system," said Tony Iams, an analyst with Ideas International. "The decision to purchase a new PC in the first quarter may be partially based on the perceived value of Vista."
Going All Out
Consumers are demonstrating distinct preferences for certain versions of Windows Vista. Current Analysis research shows that consumers are opting for the higher-end version -- Vista Home Premium. The premium version accounted for 70 percent of PC unit sales in the U.S. market, while Vista Home Basic accounted for 22 percent.
Altogether, Microsoft is offering two Vista versions for business, three for consumers, and one for emerging markets. These include Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Ultimate, and Windows Vista Starter.
The Home Basic edition aims at consumers who just want to browse the Internet, send e-mail, or create simple documents. The Home Premium edition is designed to enhance mobile or desktop PC functionality while enabling digital entertainment experiences. The Business and Ultimate versions offer all that, plus business-oriented features such as mobile computing enhancements, a complete PC backup-and-restore feature, and business networking settings.
Paying for Premium
The price difference between Vista Home Premium and Vista Home Basic PCs was considerable, according to Current Analysis, with Vista Home Premium notebooks selling for an average sales price of $863 and Vista Home Basic notebooks selling for an average of $616. Despite this significant price premium, notebook buyers chose Vista Home Premium 76 percent of the time.
Consumers consider buying a new PC for several reasons, said Roger Kay, principal analyst at Endpoint Technologies, but not all of them relate to Vista. "Vista may not be compelling enough alone to buy a new PC," he said, noting that newer PCs are better able to handle digital media and wireless technologies than older models. For those who have powerful enough hardware not to purchase a new PC, Vista is available as a stand-alone upgrade. Upgrading from Windows XP or Windows 2000 will cost $99 for the Home Basic version, $159 for the Home Premium, and $259 for the Ultimate version.

Source:Sci-Tech Today | Windows Vista Spurs New PC Sales