Microsoft's official suggested retail prices for the four editions of Windows Vista range from the $199 for a full license of Home Basic Edition to the top end $399 for the Ultimate version. Windows Vista Home Premium comes with a price tag of $239 while Vista Business costs $299.

But what happens if Microsoft's offers are a tad out of your price range? Or if the only thing that will convince you to swap your old Windows operating system for Vista is a lower price? Should you wait until you get a hold of retail discounts? That is a possibility; however, you are not limited to that.

For once you are able to buy an upgrade license for Vista. Windows Vista upgrade editions cost $99.95, $159.00, $199.00 and $259.00 for Home Basic, Home Premium, Business and Ultimate. According to Microsoft, users will not be able to perform a clean install of Windows Vista via an upgrade license key, meaning that an older copy of Windows must be in place before installing Vista.

However, there is a workaround to this issue and you will be able to deploy Vista as a clean install even with an upgrade key. Follow this link in order to find out exactly how.

Additionally, home users can always buy OEM versions of Windows Vista. Although they are meant for Original Equipment Manufacturers, home users can purchase Windows Vista because Microsoft licenses OEM products to system builders ("an original equipment manufacturer, or an assembler, reassembler, or installer of software on computer systems," according to Redmond Company).

In fact, there is nothing stopping you from buying an OEM copy of Windows Vista. All you have to do is agree and respect the OEM license. By acquiring an OEM license of Windows Vista, you lose the right the return the product once you've opened the box; you will not be able to access support from Microsoft for free for a period of 90 days as retail buyers can, and the copy of the operating system will be tied to the machine you first install it on. OEM licenses of Windows Vista are nontransferable.

And the prices are hard to resist: $94.99, $119.99, $149.99 and $199.99 for full licenses to Windows Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, Business and Ultimate. Find out more via this link.