HP says Windows 7 is ‘Back by popular demand,’ gives Windows 8 the back seat

By Konrad Krawczyk Published January 20, 2014

Both Microsoft and Windows 8 just got slapped in the face, hard. Who delivered the blow? None other than heavyweight PC manufacturer HP.

HP has launched a brand new effort on its official website to push Windows 7 systems over Windows 8 machines. On its homepage, HP says that laptops and desktops loaded with Windows 7 are “Back by popular demand.” This newly launched campaign to feature Windows 7 systems most prominently on its site is accompanied by details of a promotion where consumers could save up to $150 on a newly configured Windows 7 PC.

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We took a look through HP’s site to see if this was a consistent theme throughout. We headed over to the laptops section, and though two of the first three systems featured ship with the 64-bit version of Windows 8.1 by default, stuck in the middle between them is the ENVY 15t-j100 notebook, loaded with the tried, tested and true Windows 7.

Then we headed over to desktop-land. Sure enough, the first row of tower-based desktop PCs featured all include Windows 7 as opposed to the polarizing and touch-centric Windows 8.

Finally, we mozied on over to HP’s all-in-one desktop section, and there was yet another twist. What was the first item that came up? Not a Windows 7 desktop, nor was it a Windows 8 AIO. Instead, we found ourselves staring at the HP Slate 21-k100, an Android 4.2 desktop powered by an Nvidia Tegra 4 processor.

HP android aio

Between HP’s newly launched push to talk up Windows 7 and even Android rigs over Windows 8 machines, whispers of Microsoft employees calling Windows 8 “the new Vista,” and Windows 7 and Windows XP market-share absolutely outclassing Windows 8 adoption numbers, we can’t say we’re all that surprised about the move that HP has decided to make here.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments below.

(Image source: HD Wallpapers)

Konrad Krawczyk

Former Computing Editor

Konrad covers desktops, laptops, tablets, sports tech and subjects in between for Digital Trends. Prior to joining DT, he…

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