Windows 8 Touchscreen Will Cost More

Touchscreen laptops and tablets with the upcoming Windows 8 OS will be priced higher than their non-touchscreen counterparts. Dell will offer a full complement of Windows 8 products when Microsoft launches its new OS, CEO Michael Dell said during the company's quarterly earnings call. The touchscreen Windows 8 products will occupy higher price bands, which could mean higher profit margins for Dell.

"Unlike other Windows transitions, this is a transition where you are going to need a new PC," Michael Dell said, adding that touch capabilities could drive more people to buy Windows 8 tablets and PCs. Microsoft hasn't provided a release date for Windows 8 but analysts expect its release later this year. Lenovo has said it will sell a ThinkPad tablet with Windows 8 when the OS is launched.