Linux despite receiving subsidies and government grants requires extra engineering, support, and QA work that OEMs must pay for themselves. Windows is cheaper for OEMs than Linux. Windows is proprietary and Linux is "free," but the OEM math flips upside‑down.
Microsoft does give OEMs massive volume discounts.
- $0–$25 for Windows Home
- $40–$60 for Windows Pro
- Sometimes effectively $0 when bundled with marketing agreements, co‑funded promotions, or preload requirements
It's not a conspiracy. OEMs get these deals because:
- Microsoft wants Windows everywhere
- OEMs ship millions of units
- Microsoft subsidizes the ecosystem to maintain dominance
OEMs including Linux must pay for:
- Driver development for hardware not supported upstream
- QA testing across multiple kernel versions
- Firmware validation
- Support staff training
- Documentation updates
- Customer support overhead (Linux users are historically far more needy)
- Return/repair costs from users who can't get apps or peripherals working
- Certification costs (Ubuntu, Red Hat, etc. charge for OEM certification)
They further cannot take advantage of cheaper board components like different bluetooth, sound, or WiFi, that are often swapped out for better cost in Windows PCs/ mainboards. (Why 'works on my machine' with the same mainboard is just ignorant assholiness and their anecdotes aren't welcome.)
When you're paying for commie Linux through taxes as well as paying certification costs; you're literally paying 2 hidden fees.