The Windows 8 OS is due to come out later this year, though Microsoft has not provided a specific release date. Analysts have said that Windows 8 may come out around October, and a consumer preview version of the OS is already available for download.

Dell is currently unable to disclose what Windows 8 upgrades would entail on any of the company's hardware, according to a spokeswoman. The company is not allowed to disclose any information due to a non-disclosure agreement with Microsoft. Samsung, which also released a new laptop this week, did not respond to requests for comment. Acer, which released a desktop last week, said it could not comment on the topic at this time.

Microsoft is declining comment on Windows 8 upgrade paths for now, but the company will "have more to share at a later time," a company spokesman said in an email. Microsoft plans to release multiple versions of the new OS, including Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro for x86 PCs and tablets, and Windows RT for ARM-based devices.

Microsoft did not support direct upgrades to Windows 7 from Windows XP, which attracted criticism as it required users to backup data and reload programs. Upgrades to Windows 7 were also constrained on Windows Vista, .

PC makers usually launch new laptops when new chips are released by Intel or Advanced Micro Devices. The new laptops that shipped this week included Dell's Alienware gaming laptops, which start at US$1,099, and Samsung's Series 7 Gamer laptop, which starts at $1,899. The new laptops have Intel's high-end Core i5 and Core i7 processors, which are based on the newest Ivy Bridge microarchitecture. The new chips deliver around 15 to 20 percent CPU performance improvement and up to two times better 3D graphics than the second-generation Core processors based on the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture.