Windows 8 or Windows 7?

[WiiUBricker]

Alright, I am currently running XP on my dated laptop. Since I am getting a new one soon with no OS installed I decided to upgrade to another OS. Here I thought Windows 7 is still Microsoft's hottest thing going, but they already released Win 8. Everybody seems to hatin' on Win 8 because of its metro UI, but I heard the normal desktop is still available with a seperate tool.

Cosmetics aside, what is the better OS? I have the opportunity to get Win 8 really cheap as an upgrade, so I would like to know if it's worth it. Does Win 8 eat more resources? Do old apps run on Win8? Since my new laptop will be able to handle games from the past generation pretty well, Win 8 have to support them. What are the benefits of Win 7 over Win 8 (cosmetics aside)?

 

[Originality]

If you have a tablet, Win 8 is a good buy. If you're on a laptop or desktop, the broken driver support, lack of Start menu (it can be regained with third party apps), and clunky interface makes it less than ideal. Better to stick with Win 7.

In short, Win 7 works, Win 8 is still ironing out many bugs (a la Vista).

 

[kylster]

Your desktop is available still but I wouldn't say from another tool it's just a shortcut on the metro UI. I like Windows 8 and if your into mounting disc to virtual drives it's a built in feature as well; very useful for those hardcore gamers.

Key Features:

1. Access to Windows App Market
2. Search now searches everything (google, youtube, etc if installed from marketplace) even by category (all, videos, music, docs, etc)
3. More detailed Task Manager; sorry very detailed task manager
4. Support for all OS in compatibility mode
5. all the windows 7 interface but with an additional metro UI (think of this as a second desktop)
6. optional setting can be synced with your hotmail, live, outlook account just like google chrome.
7. can even refresh the OS (new re-install feature) basically this will delete all your files except the necessary files that is the OS so apps, personal files, VIRUS's yes all wiped.

 

[Gh0sti]

i have been running windows 8 since august i upgraded from 7 was a really good upgrade for me it has faster boot times than 7 on a hdd, uses less resources than windows 7 games perform just as well on 8, steam works, has more security built in, most programs work right away may need compatibility mode.

so go windows 8 its better than 7 even though people are complaining about it

 

[kylster]

i have been running windows 8 since august i upgraded from 7 was a really good upgrade for me it has faster boot times than 7 on a hdd, uses less resources than windows 7 games perform just as well on 8, steam works, has more security built in, most programs work right away may need compatibility mode.

so go windows 8 its better than 7 even though people are complaining about it

ditto and those youtube guides show it no justice for what it's really worth.

 

[pwsincd]

Its just very different , better or worse isnt how you should look at it , DIFFERENT and people arent accustomed to such changes , i struggle to imagine a large office set up operating on win8 , deffo is aimed at home use imo.

 

[YayMii]

People just like to be vocal about their dislikes. There's nothing really wrong with Windows 8 and it gets a lot of undeserved hate. There is a desktop feature that lets you run normal Windows programs, leaving the Metro UI serving as just a fancy Start menu (and there are programs that let you disable Metro if you hate it that much). A lot of people seem to be complaining that Microsoft is no longer supporting traditional Windows programs, although that isn't true at all. In fact, Office 2013 is already confirmed to not be a Metro app (with a few exceptions like OneNote which comes in both flavors).

Oh, and about the performance: they optimized it enough to even run better than XP on legacy PCs (given that it at least supports DX9).

 

[Langin]

I have an old Laptop with W8 at the moment, when I compare stuff to W7:

• W7 has Start menu as we all know, W8 has the metro lay-out with many new apps and cool stuffs
• W8 is just as fast as W7 in my experience, my games run even a better on W8, Street Fighter IV ftw <3
• Some things really irritate me on W8 like when you start an old app, you'll be transfered to the Desktop menu, I want a separate app for ALL my programs =3 W7 is all in one place

It is just your personal taste to be honest. ;D

 

[Clarky]

Seeing as you said dated, I would think 8 would run better

 

[Rydian]

You're the one who will be using it, not us. Head out to your local electronics shop and try out some windows 8 devices and see if you can stand it or not.

8 is an upgraded 7 (kernel version 6.2 opposed to 7's 6.1) so there aren't a ton of huge changes (like with the XP-Vista jump going from 5.x to 6.x), I wouldn't call it light-years ahead, and I'd recommend waiting until the initial bugs and compatibility issues are fixed (third-parties upgrading their shit to work with 8, generally).

 

[Engert]

Alright, I am currently running XP on my dated laptop. Since I am getting a new one soon with no OS installed I decided to upgrade to another OS. Here I thought Windows 7 is still Microsoft's hottest thing going, but they already released Win 8. Everybody seems to hatin' on Win 8 because of its metro UI, but I heard the normal desktop is still available with a seperate tool.

Cosmetics aside, what is the better OS? I have the opportunity to get Win 8 really cheap as an upgrade, so I would like to know if it's worth it. Does Win 8 eat more resources? Do old apps run on Win8? Since my new laptop will be able to handle games from the past generation pretty well, Win 8 have to support them. What are the benefits of Win 7 over Win 8 (cosmetics aside)?

There are several reasons why you should stay with Windows 7.

1. Windows 7 has a nice Start button. Windows 8 doesn't.
2. In Windows 7 it takes you three or four steps (compared to XP) to find something. In Windows 8 it takes you eight steps.
3. Windows 7 features a nice start menu button that Windows 8 doesn't have.
4. If you are not in tablet happy mode you should stick to Windows 7.
5. Among a myriad of countless useful features Windows 7 boasts an extremely useful start menu button which is missing in 8.
6. Windows 7 is less confusing then Windows 8.
7. Windows 8 is also known as XBOX version which loses its credibility as an OS.
8. Among other features which are too many to list here you'll find that Windows 7 has a starting point also know as a Start Button which is missing on 8. The Start button allows you to find things in three steps on Windows 7.
9. If you go from XP to 8 you'll feel like Alice in Wonderland. Go easy, start with 7 first.
10. And last but not least, Windows 7 has a start menu button. It's a small thing but i thought it's worth mentioning since it's kind of overlooked.

Hope this helps.

 

[Rydian]

If you're not going to take shit seriously, leave... this is not about you, it's about the OP, so try your damndest to be objectional if that's even possible.

 

[Engert]

If you're not going to take shit seriously, leave... this is not about you, it's about the OP, so try your damndest to be objectional if that's even possible.

All right all right . Sorry. Didn't know this was a funeral.

 

[Rydian]

Welcome to the computer section.

Shit here is generally serious because this is talking about what other people should do with/to their expensive equipment.
If you want to stick to places where your posts don't have consequences (and thus you can dick around as you please), stick to the normal gaming sections of the forum.

 

[Fishaman P]

If you're going to do anything serious AT ALL, go Win7.

 

[Foxi4]

There are several reasons why you should stay with Windows 7.

1. Windows 7 has a nice Start button. Windows 8 doesn't. //So?
2. In Windows 7 it takes you three or four steps (compared to XP) to find something. In Windows 8 it takes you eight steps. //It takes *1* step - you can type in the MetroUI main screen and the searchbar automatically pops up.
3. Windows 7 features a nice start menu button that Windows 8 doesn't have. //...So?
4. If you are not in tablet happy mode you should stick to Windows 7. //And that is because...?
5. Among a myriad of countless useful features Windows 7 boasts an extremely useful start menu button which is missing in 8. //...So?
6. Windows 7 is less confusing then Windows 8. //It's only confusing because it's new.
7. Windows 8 is also known as XBOX version which loses its credibility as an OS. //Oh. Alright. I suppose that the myriad of optimizations, aprox. 20% faster read/write speeds, improved copying manager, task manager, built-in Hyper-V for virtualization purposes, UEFI for safe booting and other new features aren't worth mentioning. Oh, did I also mention that you can work in both Metro Mode and Desktop Mode side-by-side?
8. Among other features which are too many to list here you'll find that Windows 7 has a starting point also know as a Start Button which is missing on 8. The Start button allows you to find things in three steps on Windows 7. //1 step in Metro. That, and 8 *has* a Start button - it takes you to the main Metro screen.
9. If you go from XP to 8 you'll feel like Alice in Wonderland. Go easy, start with 7 first. //What difference does it make? He'll have an equally new experience on 8 when switching from 7.
10. And last but not least, Windows 7 has a start menu button. It's a small thing but i thought it's worth mentioning since it's kind of overlooked. //Okay, seriously, who REALLY uses the Start Menu? I'm serious - who clicks "Start", then "All Programs" and browses there? You're all either using the Searchbar, which is present in 8, taskbar buttons which are present in 8 or icons on the desktop, which are present in 8 in both Desktop Mode and as tiles. I am yet to see a single user who uses a Start Menu the way it was meant to be used that's under 70 years old.

Hope this helps. //It helps me assert that you're cynical and you're overlooking all the benefits of an improved OS in favour of circle-jerking over the Start Menu. I'm sure your father did the same with the Command Prompt a few years back, if he's into IT.

The cold facts are that Windows 8 allows you to do everything you could on Windows 7 and more, it's just a matter of getting used to the UI. All the bashing it gets is completely undeserved and driver problems will eventually be ironed out when hardware manufacturers release updates.

 

[Engert]

Welcome to the computer section.

Shit here is generally serious because this is talking about what other people should do with/to their expensive equipment.
If you want to stick to places where your posts don't have consequences (and thus you can dick around as you please), stick to the normal gaming sections of the forum.

Ok. Still though all this serious attitude is kind of bad for your health.

Alright, I am currently running XP on my dated laptop. Since I am getting a new one soon with no OS installed I decided to upgrade to another OS. Here I thought Windows 7 is still Microsoft's hottest thing going, but they already released Win 8. Everybody seems to hatin' on Win 8 because of its metro UI, but I heard the normal desktop is still available with a seperate tool.

It's not a separate tool. It's a build-in "app" on your Metro Screen called Desktop.

Cosmetics aside, what is the better OS?

It's hard to say which is better in this case but Windows 8 seems to be more lightweight. That's usually better.

I have the opportunity to get Win 8 really cheap as an upgrade, so I would like to know if it's worth it.

I'd recomend try a hands on demo at a Best Buy or a local store to get a personal feel on how you like it.

Does Win 8 eat more resources? Do old apps run on Win8? Since my new laptop will be able to handle games from the past generation pretty well, Win 8 have to support them. What are the benefits of Win 7 over Win 8 (cosmetics aside)?

Windows 8 is actually very lightweight and does not eat much resources. The case of old apps is the same as Windows 7. I don't think you'll be able to run many legacy games on Windows 7 or 8. But that depends on the games. List a few.

Benefits of Windows 7 are that it's targeted for Enterprise level use as well as home user use. Windows 8 targets more the tablet market.

 

[Rydian]

I can confirm I've seen various games having issues with 8, which is why I suggest waiting on it for now.

 

[Foxi4]

Benefits of Windows 7 are that it's targeted for Enterprise level use as well as home user use. Windows 8 targets more the tablet market.

Windows 7 targets no-one - Microsoft made it clear that they're making a full switch to the new system design and that's final. The tablet market is to receive the RT version of Windows 8, the PC market is getting the standard edition. There will not be anything in-between.

 

[Rydian]

Yeah, Windows R/T is what will go on the ARM tablets, and it's not going to run the normal Windows versions of programs.