What if I purchased my laptop about 4 weeks ago, right before the finals? :(

This is a fantastic offer from Microsoft! I was planning on getting a Laptop soon, and this offered popped up. I can't wait until May 22nd.

I wish I had known about this on Monday. I just ordered a Touchsmart PC from HP.com...

What if  you're enrolled to start as a freshman in Sept. and don't have a student ID or a .edu email address yet?

Can my son who will going to middle school use this offer? Not sure what kind of an ID, he should use?

What are the details for Canada? When should we expect this to launch, and will it be open to any laptop or just specific models like last year? Fantastic promotion by the way!

Found the details for Canadians. Starts May 27 and is for HPs over $599. (news.microsoft.ca/.../microsoft-announces-new-back-to-school-offer-for-students.aspx)

I don't start college until the Fall. I sure hope this deal comes back.

Anyway I can find participating retailers? Because I will be getting a new laptop soon.

thanks :D

This is awesome! Oh wait... I just built a $1100 Windows 7 Ultimate  64-bit PC less than a month ago. So that means no Xbox for me.

So I'm going to be a junior in high-school so that means I am not allowed to do this, that's stupid I need a laptop also and I play Xbox so why not

Very good, forward thinking on Microsoft's part!  They'll recover the cost of the Xbox on sales and rentals, and insure that no matter how many Android or Apple devices, someone will use Microsoft for their main computing power.

I hope people don't look at $699 as a threshold.  Every PC I've ever built since 1985 needs other stuff.  Figure $2K is enough to be well-equipped.  Below that, you have a small monitor, slow HD, non-Intel CPU, tinny speakers, etc...  For Win7 64-bit, an Intel i-7, max RAM, and an SSD boot drive are the kinds of things you want... regardless of what the guy in the big-box store tries to sell you.  Buy them now, or buy crap you'll throw out when you buy the good gear later.  It's cheaper to get it right the first time.

The deal starts on May 22nd?  Microsoft must believe that Judgement Day will happen on the 21st! :P

I am totally bummed.  I just bought a laptop in late April.  I would of waited if I had known about this.  Any chance Microsoft will honor this for recent purchases?

Well that sucks, I just bought a custom HP Laptop for $1100 literally 2 days ago. Microsoft, Hook me up!!!!!!

@bls0620 and @niegowsj Sorry but this offer is only good with purchase of new Windows PCs starting May 22, 2011 (End dates vary by retailer).

@Brandon LeBlanc how do I find participating retailers?

@gamer4595 - The offer is for high-school and college students who can prove student status. Please check with individual retailers on May 22 for requirements.

@lucas_S01 - participating retailers are Dell.com, HP.com, Microsoft Store, and Best Buy.

@sprimeaux - The offer is for high-school and college students who can prove student status. Please check with individual retailers on May 22 for requirements.

@ghvreddy - unfortunately the offer is for high school and college students only. Sorry!

Wait, what if I purchase a laptop let say the 23rd of May and decide to return it. Do I need to return the XBOX? :(

What if the high school does not provide a student ID or a .edu email?

I was on the verge of buying a laptop today at HP, it has a build date of June 6th.

Should I wait 3 days (May 22) to purchase this laptop or is it possible for me to buy it now and still be eligible for this offer?

Also there's a -30% coupon for the HP laptop I was thinking of purchasing that expires on May 22... can I use both? Because I prefer the coupon over the XBOX 360.

Thank you, sorry this is a confusing scenario for me.

Any chance of this offer coming to Canada?

I noticed that Lenovo's X220 series isn't on there. Is that one eligible for this deal as well?

Is the $699 price for the subtotal of the machine from the manufacturer, or the final price after tax, etc.?

(For example, if I get a $670 machine but it ends up being $699 with tax, do I qualify for the free 360 console?)

3 questions, I'm becoming a high schooler next year and i have an id to prove it, am i elligable? does this offer work with desktops? What are the participation online retailers?

What if I bought a laptop from Best Buy, 2 weeks ago using my .edu email? :O I wanted a reduced price on my laptop :/

I've seen conflicting reports around the web, so I'm looking for some clarification. Is it windows 7 desktops only or are windows 7 laptops eligible too?

Ughh!! This sucks! I bought an HP Pavilion DM4 over $700 around April from Office Max! It's such a sweet deal; there is nothing I can do about I guess.

Question , i am an incoming freshman at Carnegie Mellon. We do not get our Campus IDs until we actually get to Carnegie , which is august 21rst. Is there another way i can prove i am a Carnegie mellon student? I just read that this is also applicable to high school students , i just want to confirm; so i can just show my student ID from my high school and get in on this deal? Thank you

@ lfliliu -- you will need to check with the retailer from whom you purchase the PC and Xbox for details about returns.

@SacTu -- you will have to check with your retailer about whether or not you can combine offers. However, you will not be eligible for this offer if you purchase prior to the 22nd of May at any retailer.

@sixthcrow -- this offer will be coming soon to Canada. Stay tuned for details.

@@Latke -- you will have to check with the specific retailer from whom you choose to purchase to determine if they carry that make and model. However, the Lenovo X220 is eligible in so much as it is a WIndows 7 PC over $699.

@ Joshjm1192 -- This is the price before tax.

@levisalmon --- This offer is for current students in ninth grade and above.

@ mdinh -- I'm sorry but the offer is only valid on PCs purchased after May 22nd.

@ yankeeken -- The offer is valid on both laptop and desktop models of Windows 7 PCs. However, you will have to check with specific retailers to find complete details on the PCs that they carry.

@ thebigboss93-- depending on the retailer, you will likely be able to use your current high school id. However, please check with each retailer for specific details on what they require as proof of verification.

Bestbuy will have this dea? right?  i went online and didnt see the offer.  is this available in the store, online or both?

Any clue if this works with Dell Outlet (Refurbished) computers too?

Where could I purchase the ASUS N53 Series N53SV-XV1 and have the free xbox offer apply?

What if I buy a computer from Best Buy and its retail price is less than $699. But I decide to buy a wireless card or Microsoft Office to go a long with it. Am I now eligible for the offer if I add accessories like these? Thanks

Don't suppose this will come to UK... :(

I'm in the same boat as bls0620. I bought my Microsoft Windows 7 laptop about a month ago...Are we eligible for this awesome deal????

When will this becoming to the UK? Im on the verge on purchasing a new computer right now :P

If the offer comes to the UK wil it only be for the companies mentioned above? As i am purchasing a custom built windows 7 machine around £700 and i would like a  free xbox with it as well.

Regards

@ bert334 -- the offer will by live at Best Buy on May 22nd.

@ crossbowman5- You'll have to check with the retailers to find out if the offer is valid in an outlet location.

@ mathxprt - The value of the PC must be over $699 USD to be valid for the offer.

@Joeman722 - participating retailers are Dell.com, HP.com, Microsoft Store, and Best Buy.

@TLaw-- This offer is only valid for PCs purchased on or after May 22nd for the duration of the promotion.

dumb question, but does alienware count? i realize it's part of dell now but just want a confirmation from someone in microsoft

So, say a laptop actually costs above 699 but the company is giving some discount which makes it go below 699. Will it still be eligible for xbox? Thanks!

Can you explain WHY someone who received their PC less than a month ago is not allowed this package? I just received my PC TODAY, and find it unfair, unjust, and not customer friendly. It should apply to anyone with a 30 day warranty in still effect. If I have to RETURN my new PC just to order another exact model just to get this deal, I have no problem doing so! No loss to me, either way I'm getting that 360.

Is the offer available in india?

To everyone whining because they just got a computer but don't get an Xbox360. I don't get why you think you are deserving of an Xbox? If you buy a can of corn in the store and then two days later it goes on sale, do you go back and tell them you want the savings in cash? No, so quit whining.

@nurx  amd @hsabnani  - Please check your questions with individual retailers as they will be able to provide explicit details on what does and does not affect your ability to receive the offer.

@Mayur.B, @bRonCOde , @dAnderton1 -- this offer is currently only available in the United States. It will be coming soon to France and Canada.

"Students, We’ve Got You Covered"...if you waited until more than 2 weeks after your school year ended to buy a laptop. And if you bought a $1200 Windows 7 laptop 4 days before we announced this? Sorry, you're SOL. Not cool.

PLEASE!!!! Make this promotion avaiable for Brazil!!!!!!! I have a need for Xbox 360! Please! Please! Please!! I swear I'll go to US and more all your grass for exchange : )!!!

Question, I purchase a laptop PC over the 699 price on the 22nd at a bestbuy store, when do I get the XBOX? Do I get it that day from bestbuy, do I get a coupon then send it to microsoft. WHat are the steps to get the xbox?

Do you have to be a full time student to qualify? or does having a *.edu email address suffice? I am actually graduating with a BS, so would I qualify?

Thanks

Hey im from the USA, but im studying in México, im in high school, im 17, and in vacations im going back to the USA, does USA students, studying in an other country, count with the program? can I use an other country student ID? dpo they count? apart I have an average of 99, almost like a A+ in a normal school? and does any 700+ laptops, like Asus, Acer, count in the program?

Good day!

Hi. Will the free xBox offer apply to xBox 360 4GB with Kinect? Or just the xBox 360 4GB (without Kinect)?

Can I participate if I'm currently in the US but I'm a student from Mexico?

Where can we go to a walk in store and buy a laptop that is required by the retailers?

@kctango-- you would be able to leave with the Xbox.

@ParivirFTW -- you will have to check with the participating retailer for full details on eligibility in each qualifying store.

@RodEagle and @ixionfenix --- the offer is for US stores and you will have to go to the individual retailer in order to ensure that you have the appropriate proof of verification needed to fulfil the offer.

@jmi256 -- The offer is for a 4GB Xbox (without Kinect)

@ dmanzanares91-- you can purchase this offer at any of the retail stores for Microsoft Store and Best Buy

Is this thing going to happen in India too???

Is this offer coming to India??

Where can we go to a walk in store and buy a laptop that is required by the retailers?

sorry to bug again but if i were to purchase a laptop online would the xbox 360 arrive with the laptop or would i get a coupon to and get it at a near by store?

I am in middle school and I have an Student ID... Am I allowed to have this offer???

What if your college doesn't have ID's?  Could I bring in my acceptance letter, FAFSA award letter, etc to prove that I am a student as well as log into my student portal in the store?

I talked to Best Buy, Microsoft Customer Support and Xbox Customer Support about using this with a computer that I got last week and they had never heard of this offer.

Its only for USA or other Countrys too? I live on Brazil.

I was planning on buying a laptop from dell that is not found in stores, and my school does not give us .edu email addresses. Will i be able to use my school ID or student ID number online to use this deal?

@ Donnie Manzanares - the participating retailers are Best Buy and Microsoft Store stores, Dell.com and HP.com are also participants. You'll have to check with each retailer to determine how the order is fulfilled.

@Zhun-- the offer is only for students in grade 9 and above.

@ Bpedersen -- you'll have to check with specific retailers to determine what forms of identification are applicable.

@manishlad and @deriks- this offer is currently only valid in the US.

@Cmoney2149 -- the offer is only valid with PCs purchased on and after May 22nd.

@wlfpackomega-- you will have to speak with Dell to determine exactly what is considered valid id for this offer.

So does this start the 22nd at stores like it says in the text body or the 23rd lke it says after the asterisk?

What if I have just graduated highschool and am looking into college (late I know) ? Also, what would you classify as a form of student ID (besides .edu email address and student ID card as I do not have either)?

Thanks

will this offer will be available in north Africa ?

Huge props to the Microsoft team-both for coming up with this deal and for patiently dealing with the insanity of the above commenters.

Hint to commenters- if you want specific details, probably a good idea to ask who you intend to buy it from. And if MS has said they're in on the deal, but you ask them and they don't have an idea about the deal, then it probably means they just haven't been told about it yet. Microsoft, HP, Best Buy, these are all HUGE companies. Don't expect everyone to instantly know about what's going on. Just wait until your company of choice makes some sort of press release. And if you have a question MS might be able to answer, then read the above comments before asking? Hint, press Control-F to do a keyword search.

And for those complaining that it's unfair they bought their laptop previously-what do you expect? If you go somewhere and buy something and the next day they drop the price, can you really blame the place for dropping their prices? Yeah, you missed out and that's sad. But that doesn't mean we should discourage price cuts and deals just because we purchased at the wrong time.

I would really expect students to have some common sense if they're about to spend at least $700 on a laptop, instead of showing up as a whiny, fussy, crowd that apparently hasn't learned how to obtain information without asking for somebody to spoon feed it to them.

I know I intend to take advantage of this deal with the HP Envy 14 Beats Sandy Bridge when it comes out. Again, thanks Microsoft!

When does it start in France ?

Will this promotion be eligible for PCs purchased from the small business sections of hp.com / dell.com?

what school's are allowed for this offer? i ask because i attend the college of the Bahamas but buy my pc's from bestbuy in sawgrass,florida

I get a discount on the hp site from my work. After the discount the laptop is still over 699. Can I still get the xbox with my discount? Or can I only have to use one discount/promotional item?

For the people above that just posted, READ the comments! Don't make the MS employees repeat themselves-they've answered very similar questions. It appears most of the details of this deal have been left up to the retailers, and so their advice has been mostly "ask them".

What about students outside of the US or Canada? I live in Malaysia, is this offer available here? Is it in the pipeline?

question

I am already leave my college e-mail address in Dell.com but they didn't answer me back, but my friends already had a mail from Dell back, is there any limitation to the number of people. And CAN I GET ANY KIND OVER $699 LAPTOP I WANT OR I NEED TO BUY A CERTAIN KIND LAPTOP TO GET MY FREE XBOX.

So let me get this straight...The offer starts on the 23rd? Also, is this offer eligible for a PC purchase from the online Microsoft Store as well? I have in mind to get the microsoftstore.com's exclusive Toshiba R835 series laptop and would vastly prefer to order directly from you guys. I also don't live anywhere near a microsoft store.

@mgespineli Read the article! It quite clearly states that the program starts on the 22nd. And it also specifically mentions the Microsoft Store. I don't know get why you need to have them repeat what has already been said.

@sam9527uel Quoting directly from the article "You can buy any kind of PC".

Come on guys.

this offer is for a free xbox right if the price of the pc is $699 and over? so technically the $199 the xbox cost should not be included in the price of the final sales price of the pc? or is it at the discretion of the retailer to include the price of the xbox which will then defeat the purpose of this sale for a FREE XBOX360

@Auxilio_ab_alto Well, I was already familiar with the article before my post...

"If you have a .edu email address you can purchase your new PC through one of our participating retailers including Dell.com, HP.com or Microsoft Store."

That passage seems to suggest that i have the choice of using the online counter-part of the Microsoft store based on the fact that I can click on the "Microsoft Store" part of that sentence and be brought to their shopping website. All I want is a little bit of clarification on that part since the offer isn't explicitly showing up on their website.

"*Get a free Xbox 360 4GB console with the purchase of a Windows 7 PC $699 or more, at participating retailers in the US from 5/23-9/3 or while supplies last.  Verification of student status required.  See participating retailers for full details."

Auxilio_ab_alto, am I to understand that this last part is an update to their previous message? People are discussing two dates, the 22nd or the 23rd. Once again, I would just like some clarification because it blatantly says the 23rd there when I hear a lot of talk about the 22nd.

Great idea Microsoft.  To bad the various retailers are only offering the free xbox with pre configured systems.  

For the specs that interest me:

Dell - It is cheaper buying the same notebook through the home store with a widely available coupon and then add on the price of the xbox than using their configured student bundle with the "free xbox."  How is this a deal for students if it costs more?

HP - I do not see anything on their website.  

MS store - Please add a filter for video card.  Assuming the offer applies to any system in the store it is slightly more reasonable.  To bad I can not find a system with the specs I want.

BestBuy - Decent selection of pre configured systems but I still can not get the configuration I want.  

To bad this deal doesn't really apply to any pc over $699 thanks to the retailers.  (unless hp allows configurable systems, then they will be the exception)

I do believe that dell has taken full advantage of this deal.  "Pick your perfect dell PC and get an XBOX 360"  This means you have to deal with what they want to give you at their price.  No coupons and no picking your own model.  Unless they change this, it is ridiculous.

How is Microsoft advertising this as a free system when your participating retailers are charging more when you add the Xbox 360 than if you just bought the computer?

^^^ they sure have. talked to a dell rep yesterday about the m14x and told me that the xbox is not free so it's included in the price of the bundle that they offer which brings up the question is microsoft not being strict enough to enforce this deal or did microsoft sanction retailers to do as they see fit whether students get the xbox for free or be charged.

Microsoft might "have the students covered" but Dell is behind you picking your pocket. I tried to purchase a customized system from them worth $1300 and was told it doesn't qualify for the free xbox. What happened to "With this offer, you get an Xbox 360 4GB console with your Windows 7 PC purchase over $699 - no cost and no strings!" You need to remind retailers there are "no strings" to this promotion.

Spoke with HP and they said their Xbox deal goes live May 26. I asked specifically about customizing computers since Dell basically doesn't appear to allow this (for different processors, memory, hard drive, etc.) and she claimed you would be able to customize your computer with processor, hard drive, etc. specs with you want through HP as long as it is over the $699 price amount (see article above).  She made it seem like you had to do it over the phone to get the Xbox deal, but not totally convinced of that since she wasn't extremely clear on this question.  I would maybe wait until May 26 and should probably find something on their website then.  She listed "configured to order PCs: dm4t, dv6tse, dv6tq, dv7t, dv7tq, tm2t, Envy 14, Envy 14 Beats, Envy 17, Envy 173D" as specifically applying to this offer.  There are other "pre-configured" PC's too that she gave me for laptops and desktops.

Great, so I have read about the problems people have been having with Dell and I decided to go with HP.  Found a HP Pavilion with an i-7 processor, good hard drive, and good memory.  I did not see anything on the website about the promotion so I chatted with their online support.  She tells me I have to register with the HP Academy (a site for students) to get the deal.  I register with the site and add the computer, but get this, a coupon that I could use outside of the HP academy that drops the price from $1100 to $800 doesn't work in the HP Academy.

Seriously Microsoft, this is looking more and more like a scam you have worked out with your "partner" retailers.  Here is the simplest question I can ask, why can't I just show Microsoft proof of purchase to receive this promotion, why is it necessary to go through a retailer if it is truly free?

!!!BEWARE!!!

Went Dell.com, custom built XPS 15 to exact same specs as the XPS 15 in Xbox deal and was $859.99 in the non-Xbox deal vs. $999.99 in the "Xbox included for free" deal.  You are NOT saving much money people (about $50-60) since the Xbox is normally $199!! RIP OFF with Dell!! (Hopefully not any of the others....).  

Just putting more specifics to other peoples' comments about this.

I've been thinking about buying the XPS 15 for a bit now, as I need a new laptop and my Macbook Pro is finally giving out on me.  This deal was the extra push I needed to go PC this time instead of Mac.

Then I find out that you can only buy specifically configured Dell PCs, and the only XPS 15 configuration I can choose from doesn't have the specs I want at all.  Not only that, but it's marked UP, which means I wouldn't be saving any money at all!  What a scam, Microsoft.  Very disappointing.  

I wanted to give Dell $1700 for a new PC, and they won't LET me?  Maybe Apple will get my business again after all.

Seems like Dell dropped the ball on this one.

For those of you itching for details, it might be helpful if you contact the customer support of the different retailers and see if you can get any information, then post it here.

Priced out an XPS8300 from DELL through the Student Member Site and got a sweet config for $1390. Then priced the same exact system through the student "free" xbox promotion and was quoted $1866. $475 more for the "free" XBox 360. For that I could buy the 360 with the connect system and still come out ahead. This is a classic bait and switch scam. Everyone experiencing the same should report it to your State Attorney Generals office.

@ ivantheigor  -- the offer starts today the 22nd of May!

Oh, and when I talked to Microsoft and to Dell about it, they pointed the finger at each other and basically said "sorry, but I do not have the tools to fix this for you."

@ J-Bizzle128  -- you will have to discuss appropriate id with each individual retailer. However, the offer is valid for high school students.

@ zak1830maR  -- this offer is only valid in the US at this time.

@Auxilio_ab_alto-- thanks for the comments! Enjoy the beats system!

@ amgj  -- please stay tuned for details on when the offer will activate in France. Thanks!

@ alexvgau  -- you will have to ask the specific retailer for complete details on which computers they intend to use with the offer. However, it should include all PCs over $699 USD.

@ Philosopher  -- you will have to ask your specific retailer what they consider to be an appropriate form of id.

@1965gto-- normally, retailers only allow one offer to be used at a time. Please check with them about using multiple offers for a purchase.

@ mgespineli  - the offer goes live on the 22nd. Thanks!

@Sui-- you will have to check with individual retailers regarding configurable systems! Thanks!

@Kristina Libby in response to your reply to @1965gto about retailers only allowing one offer to be used at a time. Since this is a Microsoft offer of a free xbox 360 to students, why would you allow your retailers to take away their normal student discounts in order for them to "give away" the xbox? The last time I looked up the word "free" in the dictionary it meant "without charge". If the retailer is increasing their normal price for an item just so they can offer something else for "free", that is not "without charge". And, since this is a Microsoft promotion, you should be setting the rules and not telling your customer to deal with the retailer.

@ bacardi201  -- I am looking into this for you.

@Kristina Libby I have contacted retailers other than HP.  This offer is absolutely NOT for any pc over 699.  You can get a free xbox but the same system without the xbox is generally 150 less if not much more.  

Basically this translates into avoid the bundle or lose money promotion.  Either someone though consumers would not notice or this promotion is not being done as Microsoft intended.

@Kristina Libby Could you add some notes to your original blog post? For example, HP is starting this deal on the 26th, and will offer the following Configure to Order notebooks: dm4t, dv6tse, dv6tq, dv7t, dv7tq, g6s, tm2t, Envy 14, Envy 14 Beats, Envy 17, Envy 173D. On their Quick Ship, they're offering dv5-2230us, dm4-1160us, dv6-3240us, dv6-3250us, dm4-1277sb, dv7-4277nr, tm2-2150us, dv74280us, dv6-6091nr, Envy 14-1210NR, Envy14-1260SE, dv7-4295us, Envy17-2070NR, Envy17-2090NR.

There's also a bit of confusion, because in your blog post, you mention both the 22nd and the 23rd as the start dates.

I was really excited when I saw this promotion. Discovering that the Xbox was not in fact free at all and in actuality was effectively buy a computer and an Xbox together for the same price I would pay for them separately cost me an hour of my time and made me lose trust in Microsoft as a company. I knew that HP and Dell were sleazy companies that try to take advantage of their customers but I thought Microsoft's involvement might make this a legitimate deal. For shame.

Best Buy details are in. www.bestbuy.com/.../olspage.jsp

They're doing the deal with 54 of their laptops. Looks like you just add the laptop and the 360 to your cart and the price reflects the deal.

I have only one question: Is this offer valid for purchase on Microsoft online store? It does not seem to be on the site. Thanks

@santhosh.sivajothi

nct.digitalriver.com/.../0295.001

Try that link out.

Once again, why can I not buy a PC with the qualifying price of over $699, present the proof of purchase to Microsoft and get my Xbox directly from Microsoft?

@Auxilio_ab_alto :

Thanks for the link. I'll see how it goes. Hopefully the PCs are not marked up like people have been reporting.

@santhosh.sivajothi

I highly doubt MS would do that on their own websites. It appears that this is only happening with Dell.

@Auxilio_ab_alto :

Yup the prices are pretty much standard retail prices in the Microsoft store. Just don't compare them to after-coupon prices elsewhere. XBoX on its way!

Any chance of adding additional retailers? (just in case there's a chance, as I'm sure there is a expensive and long negotiation process...) I was planning to purchase a ThinkPad over the summer, and lenovo has good prices, but they don't seem to be a participating retailer...

I had a very similar experience with Dell.  After speaking to a Dell sales rep, they informed me that the price is for special 'bundled systems' and not for all systems.  Side by side, the XBOX bundled system cost $1,119.99, vs $769.00 for the exact same system!

@Auxilio_ab_alto:  The prices at the MS Store are not increased, but their prices are higher than anywhere else in most, if not all, cases.  There are very few discounts and they are modest at that anyway.  They have built in buffers.  Not to mention the Xbox is their own product so they "could" increase their prices, but they aren't going to subsidize themselves like they presumably are with these retailers so the difference is smaller since they make the free product.  I just bought a HP PC that was $517 off, yes, I didn't type that wrong... I'll just pay for the Xbox myself.  I love MS, but I'm sorry, so far this "sale" is appearing to be more of a joke/scam than anything else.

My son, wih a valid i.d. and .edu email, has tried all day to purchase a $900 HP computer.  He has received a code but HP.com claims their promotion doesn't start til 5/26 (when the supply might be exhausted) Bestbuy.com has a similar computer for a similar price but when he goes to check out, it doesn't allow the xBox deal.  Bestbuy.com's site says laptops only.  The Windows website's info doesn't have all these restrictions.  Where can he go to purchase a computer to take advantage of this deal before it's over. I've never experienced anything so disorganized or people so ill-informed!

@Stown3 If the deal doesn't start until 5/26 for HP, I highly doubt that their Xbox supplies are going to run out the very first day it starts up.

@Stown3: I was told May 26th for HP by one person too and another said I could purchase today...  who knows. Whether some companies are increasing their prices (like Dell appears to be) with these bundle packages or not, it appears to be better to simply find a good coupon code anyway and ignore the deal.  I haven't checked every single one but two retailers at least I know for sure you can't "combine with other offers/coupon codes" which is pretty standard for sales.  So you can save AT LEAST $200 with a good coupon code and have the same as an Xbox or MORE and use that money however you want, whether for an Xbox or something else and not have to deal with this.  Like I stated I had saved $517 and was far less than the "free Xbox" would be.  Might not work in every case, but at least do a little work to save possibly hundreds.

I probably wouldn't mind purchasing from HP Academy, I just signed up to take a look at their prices and they are indeed discounted fairly nicely from their regular online store price. I just hope there aren't these "bundling" restrictions like what Dell is doing.

So I can basically go to any retailer that is offering this and purchase a Laptop and I will ge tthe Xbox right there at the same time or will it be shipped? Im due for a new laptop as well, any ideas on whats new and reliable?

I can't believe this site doesn't allow you to use your hotmail name to sign in.

Anyway, this deal was totally botched because of MS not being stricter with retailers.

HOWEVER, I have found that if you want a gaming desktop, Dell's 360 deal with their 8300 desktop works out so that you're not getting a steal, but at least you get to save the time and hassle of building a PC yourself, and you get a year of Dell warranty. Details:

I priced it all out with Newegg, and the best desktop available from Dell for the 360 deal, their 8300 model, costs about the same as building yourself + buying your own 360. Get it with the ATI 5770; they overcharge a little for the card, but you need it to avoid getting an underpowered PSU that could come with the $35 standard card.

The RAM, CPU, and hard drive upgrades are all overpriced. Pass on them.

Skip on the sound upgrading too, even if you're a sound card kind of guy like me. They don't even offer the new Titanium HD, and Dell has for many years been bad about getting you updated drivers for their weirdo-version Creative cards, for which the default creative.com drivers don't work.

I  would like to ask if im going to buy the said computer with your third party (ea. tiger direct or compusa) am I eligible for this offer. Im a college student from miami. I'm looking forward for your quick response.

Sure seems like a bait and switch. I ended up ordering from hp, got a really good computer for $805. With the free xbox after the 26th, according to the customer service, it would cost over $1,100. Really? A $300 markup to get a free xbox? Seems kind of lame to me.

Microsoft, please make a system for customers to get the free xbox from you after purchasing from a retailer, instead of trying to get the xbox from retailers just looking for a quick buck ( or rather $300 ).

Will this be extended to the United Kingdom or have we been left out again!

@amgj-- please stay tuned for details on the French offer

@walkermr -- you can do this at Best Buy locations. Simply walk in, buy a PC and leave with an Xbox.

@shlhu -- at this time, the current retailers are Hp.com (after 05/26), Dell.com, Microsoft online and Best Buy and Microsoft in person. @Lefthanded47 -- you can walk into a BestBuy and walk out with an Xbox.

@ jerick - you must buy the Windows 7 PC from the participating retailers.

@Greg Thomas -- the offer is currently only available in the US and coming soon to Canada and France.

I ordered my laptop in early April. Just got it last week. Saw the deal on tv earlier today. I called HP and they couldn't honor this Promotion. They were telling me I'd have to return the laptop, wait until they receive it (way... in China), wait for them to call me back to replace the same order again and attach a Xbox 360 along with it. I told them I can't cause I have high value register CAD programs on my laptop. You can't just move these from one computer to another. I told them and the representative said, " I understand your situation sir, but I cannot honor you this promotion." So if I wanted the xbox deal, I'd have to return it and loose all of my software along with it, then wait another month or more and waste my valuable time. No way. They did recommend me to transfer all of these onto a external hard drive. I don't have one and I'm not gonna spend another $$$ when I already spend $$$$ amount. Overall, don't buy from HP. I've always gotten excellent service at Apple Co. Highly recommend Apple Co. after this whole ordeal. "What happened to customer service after the sale?"

@Gkwa6. Since everyone else is give out prices, I would need a 1TB external Hard drive (roughly $100). The laptop is $2600. Hope everyone is enjoy the lack of confidence with HP, Dell, and Microsoft like I am, All in one bundle! :D

I guess we know Microsoft's position on this deal now. I see the line " (selection of eligible PC’s will vary by participating retailer), " was added to this post today. Way to go! @Kristina Libby - Thanks for "looking into this".

I just don't understand how something seemingly so simple became so hard.  The deal stated buy a computer, ANY computer (originally inferred) from one of these retailers that is over $699 and receive an Xbox for free given you can prove student eligibility (have .edu email address, etc.).  Now the statement "(selection of eligible PC’s will vary by participating retailer)" was added today (5/23).  Some retailers are increasing the price by $200-300 for the "free Xbox" over just getting the computer by itself.  I already bought my computer by itself since it appeared any computer over $699 qualified and hope I can deal with Microsoft directly for the "free Xbox", but highly doubtful.  Help does not seem to be on its way nor is there probably going to be change in the program where you can submit your claim directly to Microsoft.  This is just really frustrating.

How can Microsoft advertise this as "no cost and no strings" after people have clearly posted that adding the Xbox increases the price and is subject to limitations?

Should update it again and remove the "no cost and no strings" since you are paying more for the system to cover the "free" xbox.  :(   In retrospect I feel silly looking forward to this promotion.  Should have known it was a scam.

As of now, this deal is a scam. Everyone can see all these computer companies jacking prices up past the computer cost. You're better off buy the Xbox 360 and PC separately. "No cost and no strings"- that's a lie Microsoft. You put out this promotion and make us, the consumer, go through the "Participating Microsoft Retailers." Well these Retailers are giving you a bad name. I'm returning my laptop after all of this terrible customer service and switching over to Apple. I bought a laptop, printer, laptop bag, warrenties, cable lock, and all the customizations I made, roughly totatling over $3100. If HP doesn't care about my business, then I'll take to someone who does. Will be making a trip to the Apple store tomorrow morning.

Contrary to what Microsoft has published on this thread, Best Buy is NOT giving the Xbox with a desktop (at least not any stores in Charleston, SC).  You must purchase a laptop in order to qualify.  I'm wondering if this will be true at all retailers??

Seriously, reading the posts here made me chuckle.  Microsoft has been reponding to the same questions over and over asked by various folks (Kudos to Microsoft for being patience).  Apparently many don't understand the meaning of "promotional offer", and it is ridiculous to get mad at the retailers for not benig able give you the XBOX offer when you purchased the system a month ago, the retailers will go broke in no time.  The message could have been misleading at first, but now Microsoft has clarified that it is the Select PCs that are qualified for the offer, so if you don't find what you like, move on and stop complaining.  No one is perfect, including Microsoft.  And they are trying to put out an offer that's pretty cool so com'on give them a break.  I just purchased my new PC  from Dell and got no problems customizing the system that qualifies for the Xbox the way I wanted, and I will be getting my XBox soon while the whinners will keep whinning and get nowhere.

One trick that I learned with those sales reps was that if they are useless in helping you, ask for their Sr. Manager and be nice. 90% of the time, they will work with you to make you happy.

What a scam. HP refused to honor this offer as my $200 coupon expired. Some savings.... Now I would have to pay $200 more for a "free" $200 Xbox.

The deal is a scam thanks to the retailers' manipulations, but customer reactions to this still make me laugh. No, you cannot get a free 360 for a computer you bought a month ago. That is not how any promotion works.

And others are just being big babies. If Gkwa6, for example, really wants to switch to Apple, then let him; he'll be paying for it for the rest of his life with their ridiculous margins. The competition in the PC sphere has kept, for example, prices for great laptops down to $500 for a couple years now, with an equivalent Macbook costing about $900 or more.

It's funny... Apples are being targeted by developers of malicious software now more than ever before, because Mac users are overconfident about their supposed protection from viruses. They were never safer; they just weren't targeted. In fact, antivirus developers have for many years consistently rated Windows as more secure and more frequently updated than MacOS. But as Apple users increase their presence in the market, it just makes more and more sense for troublemakers to go after them. Meanwhile, 80% of Windows users use antivirus; Mac users are nowhere near as careful.

@Folta,

Did you use the code to get 30% off of your HP computer and now they are saying it won't work?

Well done Miccrosoft, I think that this is a great promotion but, by crikey, why only in the US (+ France/Canada)? And good luck ironing out all those first-year bugs with retailers - next year will be much easier :-)

I don't understand. I think this is for all the windows 7 computers. However, I want to order xps 15z the $1299 one. They don't offer the free xbox. They said it only offer for the $1199 one. I just don't understand. The same laptop just different customize. Why I can only get the free xbox for the cheaper one.

@Omega Ra: Call HP.com and request that your order be modified to include this deal. Unless you're already getting some other discount/deal, they should do it willingly. Otherwise, cancel the order and then re-order with the new deal. But note that this deal will preclude any other deals/discounts you may have been using and the price of your laptop will probably rise. :)

@any students that just recently purchased a laptop: Contact the retailer to see if they'll honor this deal. If not, return your laptop and buy the same model under the new deal. In most cases, the retailers' Customer Service Center will honor the deal rather than processing a return and new purchase (they don't want to have to deal with the returned equipment).

So my question is, what if my college does not provide a student I.D. I am currently going to a community college and there are no I.D's that are handed out. Should I just bring a payment bill that is from my college and bring it over there as proof and give them my drivers liscence that shows my name?

My other question is, does it matter if I do a payment plan with lets say Best buy or Dell in order to get this amazing promotion? Like if I buy a $800 dollar laptop and the payment plan is $100 dollars a month. Would that still be good? or no?

Hey I just bought an HP Envy 17 1181nr from newegg.com on may 10th. ive had it for about 12 days. my question to you guys (after scouring the web for the past 5 days!) is how do I proceed from this point? should i return it and buy it again to get a free xbox? is newegg even a participating vendor in this promotion? also keep in mind i got it for 995 flat. so im not willing to get it from the HP site for 2000$ to get a free xbox lol. thanks

I wish Microsoft would address the issue of retailers jacking up the prices for machines with the XBox deal. I would otherwise be all over this. I was about to purchase a Dell XPS 15z and Xbox until I saw what Dell was doing.

For example, at dell.com I was looking at a new XPS 15z for $999 base price - but no Xbox offer. I then went to the student page and see the exact same base machine for $1099 with the XBox. But wait - it's not actually the same machine. The student machine has the exact same hardware but with only a 1 year warranty rather than 2 year. Nice!

An extra $100 plus less warranty for a 'free' Xbox? No thanks.

I called HP 1-800-230-5752 this morning and spoke to a representative because it has to be done over the phone. This was after creating my HP Academy account with my .edu email. He gave me some good news that I hope is to be true. Basically I told him I wanted to get the HP pavilion dv6t selection edition series that came with i5 6 GB upgrade and other things for $749. I asked him what's the grand total if I wanted to buy it after the xbox promotional code and all that stuff including shipping. He told me everything came up to around $760. It turns out the laptop goes down to about $699 plus taxes and stuff cost around $60. So all together it cost $760 and this included the xbox 360. It sounds great. Hope he didn't miss understand me or anything. I wanna get this deal tomorrow. Let's see what other people hear from HP.

Is there a list of participating retailers?  I'm having trouble finding one.

Wow - this deal is really bad. I posted earlier that Dell was charging an extra $100 for the free Xbox. I went back today and now it's and extra $150!!!

I called Dell and spoke to someone at length who explained that the Xbox really isn't free and that it's just a bundle and not free at all. I referred her to this blog page that say's it's free but she said that a blog page is not official.

Sure enough, no where else does it state 'FREE' except on this blog page. The Microsoft staore and web site say 'Get an Xbox 360' but never say FREE, except on this unoffical blog page.

Dell said 'it's advertising'. I say it's a rip off. Has anyone actually gotten the Xbox for FREE, from anywhere, as this blog states it should be, without paying a higher bundle price?

Is anyone from Microsoft reading this?

That stopped responding to this blog post when people started asking hard questions.

Looks like Microsoft is sticking their head in the sand hoping people will just give up on this. Their publicity stunt back-fired.

I agree with Giantmastiffs above - it's hard for Microsoft to pull it off with so many different parties involved. And it certainly won't be perfect the very first time. Who knows, maybe they would have been better to work with campus IT stores or their IT departments if they were interested, but it's pretty unfair to use words like scam and rip-off.

I'm sure that next year this will be smoother and will extend to more countries, so this time round just keep cool, be grateful for the opportunity, and keep an eye out for the approach that works best with which suppliers. Good luck - I don't even have the offer on the table in the country where I live!

Come on people! Stop complaining. I read almost half this thread and all everybody is whining is the fact that "i didnt know, i deserve this!!!" The details are above.. it starts May 22nd... not all retailers will participate... supplies vary...  you have to be in 9th grade or higher...

What if I'm poor and i cant afford a new computer... i should still be able to get a free XBOX, come on people just read the above..

my wife needed a new laptop. she got a netbook, well i dont get a new xbox... and trust me i need one..

I recently purchased a new lap top that would qualify, but had to purchase it a beginning of may 2011.  Old one was destroyed while on college lacrosse road trip in GA when we got caught up in tornados, Wish I could of waited and took advantage of this deal!!

Any possibility that a higher end model of the Toshiba Portege R835 will be available through Microsoft Store? Specifically, lack of USB 3.0 support on that model is what's stopping me from pulling out my credit card.

I just ordered a Windows 7 HP computer Thru Fingerhut..My question is.Since fingerhut ordered this for me from Hp does this qualify?

@Jnoel360 Do you have any update on your HP order? I'm interested in purchasing a desktop through them.

Yea I actually ordered my computer last night. They said they would ship out the xbox first. And i didn't have to pay for it. On top of that I got a discount. Bringing the price of the computer after taxes and all that close to the base price of the laptop. The laptop was dv6t selected edition  cost $749.99. And after the xbox deal along with discount and taxes it came up to around $750 something.  But I also bought a $ 20 dollar sleeve for the laptop. So all together cost me $780 which is still close to the base price. You Gota make the order by calling 1-888-999-4747 and have a HP Academy account using your .edu email. The guy sent me a code I confirmed it and he placed the order. That's it.

~ does the lenovo.com is  participating  in this deal ???

Okay, since Microsoft has decided to stop responding I went to Newegg and ordered a 4GB Xbox 360, and with their promotion of a $50 gift card with the purchase I will then apply that to their already discounted laptop deals and buy whatever I want from them.  

Microsoft:

1. Get your act together.

2. Realize that your vendors will take your good idea and mess it up if you don't adminsiter it right.

3. Sticking to the company line when your customers call you out on your BS doesn't come close to fixing things.

4. The only thing worse than #3 is simply ignoring it.

Kristina,

What if my Son builds his own PC, including a purchasing a copy of Windows 7?

ok what if it was 5 months ago?...LOL

Every place I saw this promotion and when I called Microsoft, it included both laptops and desktops. I went to Best Buy to buy a desktop. The store clerk said the 360 came with the desktop. When I checked out, they informed me it was only for laptops. I asked Best Buy corporate, they said call Microsoft. I asked through the Microsoft store, they said ask Xbox. I asked Xbox and they sent me this thread and told me to ask here... I don't think I'm getting an answer or my 360 :(

How in the world do I do this? I've been to hp.com a million times and can't find any details! Someone help please. I would've bought my laptop a week ago if I knew HOW. It seems like there's no advertising from individual retailers for this.

@ColdShadow- Bestbuy has complete control over which computers it can have as part of their offer.  If they won't give you an Xbox with the computer you got than to be quite frank you're screwed.  MS will not back you up nor give you an Xbox even though it is THEIR deal.  Only talk to Best Buy and if they refuse then you're out of luck unless you return the item

@Jodee86- from my own conversations and reading over posts HP's deal is only available over the phone AND you need to create an account on the HP Academy registration page online (here:www.shopping.hp.com/.../register_app.do) BEFORE calling HP on the phone about the deal.  Its a horrible setup but from what I know its the only way....  

-----> The deal is mentioned for HP online here: hp.force.com/.../hpacademy

Good luck.... Happy hunting :)

Hey how do we get the list of retailors that are part of this X Box Deal

I think this offer is great yet they discriminate against other students, like myself, who purchased a new computer, even though I could not afford $699 or more for a computer, much less a Dell or HP. I purchased mine in a store for less because I was beginning an online College. That is just unfair in my opinion.

Does this apply if I am a graduate student but the company I work for just bought me a Windows7 over 699$ laptop? Can I use this purchase to get the free xbox? Thank you.

I just graduated from highschool and haven't gotten a college email, is there any way i can still qualify for the deal?

Does it have to be specifically a participating store? I just preordered a laptop from an ASUS reseller online and would love to know if this applies to me as well!

Don't even waste your time trying to get this promotional offer from Dell!! I bought an XPS 15 $1000 (well over the 799 required price) for my son who is going to college. I provided his email address that ends in edu and his ID#. After 2 hours on the phone being placed on hold, disconnected, and send to VMs I was finally told the system did not meet the price threshold...ahhh hello I spent $1K....was then told if I cancel the current order and order the same system but pay $1200, I can get the "free" xbox.......this is a scam

Another BAD review for this deal- went tonight to Best Buy , picked out a desktop and was told they only offered it with laptops.   I did get the sales droid to look at the site, and guess what- there WERE Desktops on the list.  Then it was "Oh, that's not an approved machine"- a $900 Asus tower with no monitor.  Right now while I was sitting her typing this the ad was just on TV again.  It still says ANY Windows 7 machine?

Thanks Microsoft, you really made this a sucky experience for all.  How about the truth next time?

It sure got quiet here fast- No answers anymore?  Why not let us send in proof of purchase and send us the X Box that way?  or at least pull the ads, say "We made a mistake"  and go on?  The silent treatment doesn't work.  You are Microsoft, come on and step up.

Well my heart is broken...I need a new laptop for school this year and my xbox broke last month, but I can't benefit from this deal because I'm a senior in high school. Fail. Does it count if I will be taking college courses in the fall? :D

Best Buy doesn't have a link to this offer online any more.  Anyone have any idea if Best Buy is still participating?

Any chance of this offer coming to Singapore?

If students buy their PC from HP, they'll get a free Xbox PLUS a student discount on their purchase. It's a pretty sweet deal. http://bit.ly/cnYGS2

Hi,  I just recently bought a $900 Sony VAIO Windows 7 PC. at Bestbuy.  I didn't know about this offer nor they offer it to me when I was in store.  Once I got wind of it, I went back to Bestbuy WITH student ID and asked for them to honor promotion, and they did not.  I spoke with store manager, and was told that the offer was no longer valid.  Can I send receipt to MS directly and have them Honor it directly?   Thank you in advance.

Do you plan to add Office Depot as a retailer??? They are a very prolific retailer to the college student community!!!

Furthermore, Microsoft as massive of corporation as it is, should be all inclusive on all laptop purchases >$699 with windows 7 -- This will also help stimulate the economy by encouraging consumer purchases. Major corporation should take action in helping this economy!!! If America bankrupts, we all lose!!!

I just bought a Sony Windows 7 PC at Best Buy today (BEFORE the end date) and Best Buy said the promotion ended several weeks ago and would NOT follow through even though I told them it has NOT ended according to several Microsoft blogs (including this one) - I have seen end dates of 9/3 and 9/24, neither of which has passed :(

I bought Sony Viao Laptop for my daughter who is a student on July 6th for $749 from Best Buy.  I went to check whether they can honor this request but they said they cannot since they exited the program.  Also, talked to the store manager.  This is crazy.  Can Microsoft help?  I have all the proofs that would be needed - receipt, student id, .edu email account etc.

Iam a Student. but i don't have .edu mail id. how can i get your offer?

I guess I didnt pay enough attention to the commercials on tv. I thought this offer was for everyone. I go and buy a new $1100 laptop and now find out im not eligible. I need to watch the commercial again and hear where it says for students only. I feel robbed.

I bought a PC about a month ago, and am a college student. The price of the PC was well over 699. I went back to the store (A Best Buy) after I saw this commercial again, but they said they had no recollection of this promotion ever happening. Is there any way I can still get the free Xbox somewhere else, either online or at another store, despite the fact that I already bought the PC?

I am a college student but I live in Venezuela, if I go to United States I can get free xbox?