Microsoft’s Windows 8.1 update will end up in the hands of PC manufacturers by August, reports All Things D. Microsoft made the announcement today at its partner conference, and makes the timing right for inclusion on computers shipping out over the holiday season.

The update will be free, and includes a bunch of fixes for issues that people had with Windows 8.

All told, Windows 8.1 is a worthy and welcome upgrade, and one that stands up to testing. However, it isn’t perfect, and doesn’t correct all the flaws of its ancestor.

The update is available now for download in preview form, if you’re the type who doesn’t mind trying the latest version of an operating system, and all of the bugs commensurate with that.