It appears the Polish website, CentrumXP.pl, who a month ago leaked images of what was believed the be the Windows 7 packaging design and box art is more credible than I thought. Shortly after I wrongfully dismissed their claims, I found some evidence that supported their claims, however it was not entirely clear at the time whether the leaked images were concepts in iteration or the final design. Now, to end the speculation once and for all, the boxart has been officially confirmed by no other than the Microsoft Store listing for Windows 7.
Notably the final physical design, color schemes and imagery are identical to the leaked images. If you haven’t seen already, CentrumXP.pl has high-resolution copies of these images providing a closer look at the finer details decorating the Windows flag, including but not limited to a butterfly and lens flares (not necessarily bad, just, rare). Perhaps more proof the industrial Windows brand evolving to incorporate more humanistic and personal elements.
Now that the full version boxart has been confirmed, there is a high probability the leaked upgrade edition boxart is also real deal, which would actually surprise me due to its unorthodox approach. We’ll have to wait and see I guess.
Tip: You can get the uncropped image from the Microsoft Store by directly accessing the image here.
Update: Someone pointed to me the Ars Technica article which also points to the same evidence on the Microsoft Store. I’m not familiar with when they made that update, and credits to them if it was earlier.
17 Comments
a2h
Looking as matte as ever.
Avatar X
They went with a Neo-Retro look.
it is a mix of windows xp boxes
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=windows+xp+box+filterui%3aimagesiz e-large&qpvt=windows+xp+box&FORM=R5FD3#
With vista boxes
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=windows+vista+box+filterui%3aimage size-large&qpvt=windows+vista+box&FORM=R5FD3#
It is quite obvious.
Simon
not so keen on the font of “Windows 7…” looks odd somehow. not sure. Otherwise I like the logo and the little patterns. Looks good!
Long Zheng
@Simon: Yeah as I had pointed out originally, I felt like the logo wasn’t using the right fonts. The “7″ should be Segoe Light whereas in these images it looks like Segoe. Although it’s hard to be sure at such a small resolution.
Quppa
The full version boxes are fairly inoffensive, but the Vista boxes were much prettier. (In fact, I’d have to say Vista is a better-looking OS than Windows 7, though I’m not entirely sure how this is possible given how similar they look.)
The upgrade box, though… not exactly a fan. Still haven’t warmed to the lens-flare logo, and what’s that laptop doing there?
GoodBytes
It looks like that Win7 boxes won’t be in the nice plastic shell but rather a card board box with the same shape as Vista box.
I don’t know why I have this felling, maybe because some gloss effect was not put on the box art work?!
Stooovie
Quppa, i like vista look more too. I loved the look of light shining through dark smoky glass. 7 is very different and much brighter. Its so bright it burns my retina.
Andre Da Costa
I knew they were real the first time I saw them. As much as there Windows enthusiast out there, they are not that good and detailed and probably wouldn’t invest that much time in a product box. I hope they add the stylish 7 logo we saw from the Chinese Microsoft thingy at the back of the box.
Arnie
I thought I saw this somewhere a few weeks ago! Thanks for letting me know it was Ars, I was going nuts trying to find it
mVPstar
I find it odd how you have this nice, pretty clean Windows Flag in the background and then you have the multicolored, slightly more complicated Flag near the title. That’s about the only thing I don’t like about the design. It ruins the sense of hierarchy.
James Trefil
Can’t wait to buy my Mac on Monday.
Win7 still freezes like Vista and several BSOD on top of that.
Done with MS!
ms
@Long Zheng: The upgrade art at CentrumXP.pl is for Anytime Upgrade only (sold online, not likely at retail). Normal upgrade packaging looks very similar to the full version, but will say upgrade at the top. Vista also had different Anytime Upgrade boxart: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/get/anytime-upgrade-ove rview.aspx
GoodBytes
@James, no, that is because you broke your hardware of your computer.
My guess is either you have faulty hardware, or you had fun with overclocking your computer and permanently damaged your system. BSOD’s in Vista and WIn7 are ALWAYS related to faulty hardware. This error means that the Operating system crashed because a device or hardware component fault. For example, if your RAM is busted then probably it looses data at every cycle, and it comes to a point that it touches the O.S. So when the CPU execute set of instructions and comes to collect data from the memory that is corrupted or non existent anymore. The processors doesn’t have Google search engine to find it’s new location (if it moved without knowing due to faulty RAM), and won’t start re-inventing the data. It just crashes.
I bet your Mac, that if you do a store and get an new computer of appropriate value, that your BSOD would be solved.
Beside, Mac does have it’s share of blue screen… just not in blue.
ask and you might receive
I was forced to use Mac during a Adobe Flash class last semester. Five separate Macs locked up on me in just one day. They were 10 times less reliable, 20 time as confusing, and they just don’t make sense (why can you not delete one file at a time from the trash can? why is there no cut in the right click menus? why is everything designed dumbed down to a level a constipated monkey could use it? Oh that’s right, Apple is run by a constipated monkey….
Oh, and I am keeping Vista… Vista 2.0 steals too much screen real estate for quick launch icons and toolbars plus the graphics all look high quality but flat. It is almost sterile
Fred
I thought the Vista boxes were pretty awesome, but I love those full version ones too. Shame the upgrade ones still look awful. The laptop and that huge text just look wrong.
Jaky Astik
Well, I must say I am using Windows 7 RC since last 2 months and it’s the best thing from Microsoft ever before. Boots faster than my XP, runs multiple programs flawlessly, and all my vista drivers are happy with this version.
Moreover, it can do things Vista could have never done in just 890MB of RAM. Go for it guys..Macs are just bull shit. Why learn computing again when Microsoft is already trying to make it more simpler day by day. ha ha. I am with Bill. Anyone with me?
splurge
Looks good, but reminds me too much of the Apple logo they put on computers.
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