Should I buy a laptop now or wait for Windows 7?

There are key questions being asked by students, parents and anyone in the market for a new laptop, such as:

If I buy a laptop now, can I get Windows 7 for free?

Yes, with some important caveats. From 26 June 2009 through 31 January 2010, Microsoft and many major PC makers are offering free upgrades to Windows 7 for those who want to buy a Vista-powered laptop now. The deals are all essentially the same, and, as expected, have some exceptions and asterisks.

Will a laptop bought now be obsolete in a few months?

To be certain, with the launch of Windows 7, many PC makers will no doubt release new models and revisions of current models. Still, the same could be said of virtually any consumer electronics purchase — there's always something newer, faster and maybe even less expensive, coming around the corner. Especially if you need a new back-to-school system, it's generally not going to make a huge difference if you rely on your laptop for web surfing, email, office docs and media playback.

Do I want to deal with the hassle of upgrading?

Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows Vista was not a trouble-free process for many, to put it mildly. In our handful of tests, however, we have been able to move from Vista to Windows 7 without killing our machines — although, generally speaking, a clean install is more likely to be trouble-free. Wanting to start fresh with a Windows 7 laptop would be a legitimate reason to wait, but not a deal-killer if you need a new laptop right now.

Getting your free Windows 7 upgrade is handled through the company you bought your PC from, not by Microsoft, and in most cases you'll have to register and fill out some online forms. At some point after 22 October, you'll receive a physical copy of Windows 7 via snail mail. The upgrade path looks like this:

Windows Vista Home Premium —> Windows 7 Home Premium
Windows Vista Business —> Windows 7 Professional
Windows Vista Ultimate —> Windows 7 Ultimate

Using Vista basic? Tough luck! Also worth noting, upgrades are arriving via DVD, so you'll have to have a DVD drive available. Also royally screwed are netbook buyers who have Windows XP. Not only do you not get a free upgrade, you can't do a direct upgrade to Windows 7 — instead you have to do a clean install, wiping your hard drive in the process.

What Vista machines qualify for a free upgrade?

Vendor	Eligible machines	Fees	Upgrade program website
Acer	Selected models from the TravelMate, Aspire, Extensa, Veriton, Prestige and Gaming range.	Free for selected countries, handling and delivery charges otherwise.	Link
Asus	B, F, G, K, M, N, P series and more.	Free for selected countries, handling and delivery charges otherwise.	Link
BenQ	JoyBook S42 only	To be announced	Link
Dell	Inspiron, Studio, XPS, Adamo, OptiPlex, Latitude Precision.	Handling and delivery charges apply for consumer models. Free for business machines.	Inspiron, Studio, Adamo Inspiron XPS, XPS Vostro, Latitude, Latitude Precision Dell Windows 7 upgrade FAQ
Fujitsu	LifeBook A1120, A6220, A6230, P1630, P8020, S6520, S6420, S6421, T2020, T1010, T5010, U2010, U2020 and Fujitsu L1010.	Surcharge for material, shipping and handling.	Link
HP/Compaq	Pavilion dv2, dv3, dv4, dv6; Pavilion tx series; TouchSmart PC IQ800, IQ5XX; Pavilion Elite Edition E9000, p6000. Compaq CQ35, CQ40/45, CQ60/61, CQ70/71.	Surcharge for material, shipping and handling.	Link
Lenovo	All Idea and Think systems.	Surcharge for material, shipping and handling.	Link
MSI	GT series: GT627, GT628, GT725, GT729, GT735, GX620, GX630 X Series: X340, X400, X600 C Series: CR400, CR600, CR700, CX600, CX700 E Series: EX401, EX460, EX623, EX625, EX627, EX628, EX630, EX723 G Series: GT627, GT628, GT725, GT729, GX403, GX620, GX623, GX633, GX720, GX723, GX733 P Series: PR201, PR601, PX601 V Series: VR603, VX600 U Series: U200	No fees for Australia/New Zealand.	Link
Samsung	All models with Vista Home Premium pre-installed.	No fees.	Link
Sony	AW, CS, FW, G, JS, LN, LV, NS, NW, P, SR, TT, Z series. BZ and TP range are not eligible.	The upgrade kit comes in two discs: Windows 7 upgrade and Windows 7 drivers and utilities. Charges apply.	Link
Toshiba	Satellite: L510, M300, M500 Qosmio: F50, G50, X300 Portege: M800, M900, R600, A600, M750 Tecra: A10, M10	Handling and delivery charges apply.	Link