Microsoft have finally announced a concrete date for their upcoming Windows 8 OS.

Announced by president of the Windows and Windows Live division Steven Sinofsky during Microsoft’s annual sales meeting, and posted on the official Windows Blog, the new OS will launch on 26th October.

The launch window of October was already known, but now an exact date means you can plan your next PC purchase around it.

Apparently Microsoft’s Surface tablet will also launch the same day, albeit in the guise of the RT version with the Windows 8 Pro model rolling up 90 days later.