Better windows 8.1 or. Best version of Windows

Decide for yourself what is better than windows 7 or windows 10, everyone can do it in a practical way. To do this, it is enough to conduct an experiment and install a new build 1703 for PC on an old laptop. If the old versions of the “tens” worked with a system load comparable to Windows 8 / 8.1, then the latest build has become more gluttonous to the hardware resources of the device. What to say if Microsoft recommends for its future cloud version"tens" under educational establishments laptops based on at least 4-core Celeron processors with 4 GB random access memory. But this is a “stripped down version of the dozen”, designed to push Chromebooks out of schools. What then to say about the normal operation of a full-fledged "tens" on old devices released during the Vista era. Only Windows 7 works more or less normally with them.

If you are looking for something to replace Windows 10, then you should know, except Linux distributions, you can just use the older ones, but current versions OS. Even Win 8.1, despite the terrible METRO interface, is sometimes more profitable (especially if licensed).

New devices new system

The dispute about which operating system is better - Windows 10 or Windows 7, is resolved only when you have a relatively new device in your hands, which is 2-3 years old. Older ones will definitely work faster on the "seven". Even installing a fast SSD drive will not help (with it, version 7 of the system will become generally lightning fast).

There was a time when streaming flash content played better on Windows 10:

1. video;
2. movies.

However, with the release of more optimized browsers and antiviruses (which significantly “load” the hardware of the device), it is easier to use Windows 7. That is, on old and weak devices, Windows 7 is again more relevant. It can run on devices originally designed for Vista with single-core Celeron processors, while newer systems will not even install on this configuration.

When choosing what to install on your computer - Windows 7 vs Windows 10 - you should proceed from the hardware of your device and personal aesthetic wishes.

After all, the remark that not all users like the interface of the tenth windows will not be news.

Privacy & Protection

In every banner, Microsoft claims that new Windows 10 has become more secure and secure that it is ready to offer the user much more than the old "seven". But is it really so? Something similar was said about XP in 2001, whose share of the network is now higher than that of Windows 8.1.

By security, we mean “patches” that cover potential OS vulnerabilities, and regular anti-virus software. Put good antivirus on Windows 7, and you simply don't need Windows 10. And universal metro apps have not become popular since the G8 (2012), they are also perceived as a tribute to universality with mobile platforms.

In addition to security itself, a large number of users are interested in the level of confidentiality of the new system.

And in this aspect, the “ten” of all releases have enough problems. The corporation knows literally everything about users. Not many will like someone to know his browser history, all the passwords and texts he typed on the keyboard, view personal photos and videos. Although Microsoft claims that it encrypts all data, is it really so?

Glitches and automatic updates

To ensure up-to-date antivirus protection, continuous improvement of functionality Microsoft abandoned the practice of giving the user a choice when downloading updates. From now on, they are downloaded and installed automatically, without the knowledge of the user. In the first releases, this caused a lot of problems for users who lost unsaved data on reboots or suffered bugs that came with each new update. Utilities were even released by third-party specialists that disable automatic updates, spying, and removing METRO apps.

Moreover, Microsoft's innovation (the so-called cumulative updates) is not so much designed to help the user, but to help the corporation reduce the load on its servers. If earlier updates came to the device only as needed, now large (400-500 MB) packages are loaded every Tuesday. And since, by default, each PC with 10 on board shares updates with computers by local network, such packages are needed only so that the PCs themselves update each other, loading the corporation's servers less.

Built-in Skype, viewing 3D content

The new release of dozens 1703 finally allows on the local account the user to update metro applications and download extensions for the EDGE browser. In the assembly integrated Skype, there are applications for developing and viewing 3D content. However, is it really needed if only specialists are engaged in it, and a standard browser since IE6 has been used by a very small percentage of users? Of course, if you have a license for Windows 10 and new computer, then returning to Windows 7 is stupid, but you should not specifically look for a more outdated OS.

Each device should work on what it was designed for. The laptop worked on XP - most likely, on Win7 it will work with difficulty. If the PC was under Vista or 7, you don’t need to torment it with the “ten”, if there is no urgent need for it. After all, all games and programs are released specifically for this OS, but with optimization for the top ten.

If you make a rigorous comparison of what you lose by installing the old system, it turns out that nothing much.

There is absolutely no point in buying the "tenth Windows" on purpose.

Gaming PCs and new operating systems

When the user's computer is used solely for gaming and surfing purposes, then best solution will use a newer operating system. This to corporative clients need strict support for outdated software, work with papers. For a simple user good windows' is the one that is newer. Moreover, users, as usual, will use its capabilities by a maximum of 10%. Users rarely use regular software:

• browsers;
• players;
• antiviruses.

They are always trying to replace them with third-party free or even hacked counterparts, the same most often happens with the OS.

If we talk about gaming power, then the latest releases of the "tenth Windows" offer gamers ample opportunities: this is a new DirectX library and a more optimized "game mode". On Steam, subscribers for the most part have moved to a newer OS a long time ago. And according to their statements on the forums, new games work with the "ten" much better than with its predecessors. A-priory gaming computer has a lot of RAM powerful processor and a video card, as well as a fast drive, here the voracity of the “tens” is almost imperceptible.

Painful choice: what to do?

Before choosing which Windows to buy, weigh the pros and cons. And if version 7 is almost impossible to find in stores, then 10 is quite expensive. Better put a test build with a slow update circle and see how it works on your device, evaluate if the game is worth the candle. Very often it turns out that users, having overestimated the capabilities of their device, install an operating system that is not quite compatible with it and then complain about it.

You can not thoughtlessly install systems that are only nominally suitable for your device.

Literally one incorrectly working driver can cross out all the achievements of the system and turn work for a PC into a real punishment.

But if "frills" and imaginary security are not so important to you, it is better to install a less demanding OS, and by definition it is Windows 7.

Which Windows is better than 7 or 10 - this question is raised by many users, because before reinstalling the operating system it is not always completely clear which of these versions will be most acceptable. Disputes about the choice of a particular OS most likely will not stop for a long time and everyone finds their own advantages among these versions. Let's try to figure out all the advantages, disadvantages, performance of the "seven" and "tens".

Almost all users of operating systems from Microsoft have moved from one stable version to another. At one time, XP was considered the most successful and functional. The appearance of Vista did not impress many in the first place because it had many shortcomings and bugs that were not corrected even due to the release of patches and updates. The developers themselves, realizing all the shortcomings of the newly minted OS, began to develop a conceptually new operating system, as a result of which Windows 7 was born in 2009, which really turned out to be stable and practical to use.

Evolution from "seven" to "ten"

After some time, the specialists of the OS Windows developer company felt the need to create an improved operating system, the graphical shell of which was as similar as possible to the one that began to be implemented in mobile devices. This was primarily due to entering the market with a new mobile platform that would compete with Android and iOS in the mobile platform market, and, accordingly, bring the desktop version as close as possible to the mobile one.

However, most users did not like this solution, and the 8th version, in fact, like Vista, did not gain such popularity as XP and the "seven" before that. As a result, the developers made a "Solomon" decision - to combine mobile version with the classic desktop, which eventually led to the advent of Windows 10.

in terms of performance and functionality this release was noticeably better than the 8th version.

Let's figure out how Windows 7 and 10 differ, and which version will satisfy more of these or other requirements.

Comparative characteristics of the "seven" and "tens"

All testing will be done on a computer with the following specifications:

• processor core i5 3.4GHz;
• RAM 8 Gb;
• Video GeForce 980 GTX;
• HDD 1Tb.

1. Operating system loading and unloading speed

Turning on the computer, and, accordingly, the time parameter for loading the OS in these two versions is actually the same: 5 seconds. at 7-ki against 6 sec. in version 10.

But with regards to exiting sleep mode, here latest version clearly surpasses the previous one and has a significantly lower indicator. If for a full shutdown on a 10-ke you need only 10 seconds, then a 7-ke to 17. That is, this indicator differs almost twice. The same applies to exiting the hypernation mode (the difference is also about 7 seconds).

1. Appearance and graphical interface.

Comparing the design of two objects is always a subjective thing, because each of the people has their own taste and vision. Before comparing these two operating systems, it must be said that the transition of the user from the “seven” to the “ten” will be quite painful, because in some graphical aspects, these operating systems differ dramatically.

The design of the 10th version is made in a strict direction: flatness and sharpness of corners. Windows 7 is more familiar to those who have been using this OS as their main computer for decades. It all depends on the specific taste of the person himself.

The "top ten" has a choice of displaying the desktop: classic and in the form of a tile, which was introduced in the 8th version. This parameter can be attributed to more new version, as in the seven there is no such choice at all. The Start menu in 7 is also more familiar, but in 10 it is presented as a hybrid of classics and tiles.

In general, we can note the fact that the “ten” looks much more colorful and prettier than its predecessor. Considering also the fact that there is voice assistant, then in the graphical shell option, Windows 10 attracts much more.

Performance of programs and games

At Microsoft launch office, software loading takes approximately the same amount of time. No significant differences were found here.

When testing work Mozilla browsers and Chrome, "seven" proved to be much better. The speed of loading, as well as displaying pages, is much faster here. It should be noted, however, that the newly Edge browser, which is installed only on 10 as a whole, is not inferior in response time to the aforementioned browsers on the seven, but this question is subjective, since there is simply no such application in the 7-ke.

With regards to working with hard drives in general, the bandwidth, the speed of copying to different partitions is approximately the same.

According to the use of new modern toys, we can say that they work about the same. When comparing the performance of Crysis 3, the fps indicators did not actually differ, although this parameter was still higher in the 10th version. The only thing is that in a more modern version of the operating system, it may be difficult to launch those games that came out even before the appearance of the "seven": they simply cannot be installed.

conclusions

Based on the above, we can say that if you plan to purchase Windows OS, then the choice, of course, should fall on the 10th version. If on this moment If you have the “seven” installed, then you should not bother too much and rush to switch to a more modern version, because from the above we can say that two separate products are approximately the same.

In contact with

With the release of the eighth version of the operating system from Microsoft, many users began to wonder how much better it is than the usual “Seven”, and whether it makes sense to change their favorite interface. It is impossible to answer this question unambiguously. In addition, recently laptops and system blocks go on sale from the outset installed Windows 8. Let's compare these two operating systems in terms of basic parameters.

Beginning of work

In Windows 7, booting up after switching on takes about a few minutes. In the new version of the OS, the developers have worked to fix this. The result was that in Windows 8, the system startup time was reduced by at least a factor of two.

In addition, here the emphasis is on the use and sleep patterns. Thanks to this, very little time passes between you press the power button and the system is ready to work. This can be considered one of the advantages of the new operating system over the seventh version. If we talk about shutdown, then the difference in time between versions of the operating system is small.

Working with files and documents

Let's consider whether the speed has changed when performing basic actions with files or documents. So, the window that opens when copying documents has become quite convenient. In both versions of the operating system, here you can see information about the time spent on the operation, as well as the speed of copying.

However, the interface has been slightly changed. In addition, a feature has been added to Windows 8 that allows you to pause the operation. It can be useful if you need to copy a large amount of information, but you need to leave. Speaking about the speed of the operation, I note that the various tests conducted show the result in favor of Windows 8. But the difference is literally a few seconds, so it makes little sense to talk about performance improvement in this case.

Working with applications and programs

A lot of applications and programs work in both the seventh and eighth versions of the operating system. In the latter case, however, the developers took care of updating the utilities. Yes, good old Internet Explorer in Windows 8 comes in the tenth version. This means that the Internet browser in the operating system is endowed with additional features, including advanced protection mode, SmartScreen filter, etc.

Many standard programs e.g. Live movie maker for video processing and and Windows 7 work almost the same. Of course, the developers have taken care to improve application performance in Windows 8. However, the difference was not too big.

The main difference of the new operating system is that the familiar desktop interface has been significantly changed. Microsoft representatives explained this by saying that the system is intended mainly for devices with touch screens, which have recently become increasingly popular. Some people think that the tiled interface is less convenient, others - on the contrary. However, you can always install an additional one that will allow you to return the familiar Desktop and even the Start button in Windows 8.

In Windows 8, developers have included new update and reset capabilities. It's easier than in Windows 7 to create a system image. In addition, it is possible to reinstall the OS without losing personal data and user information. Also in Windows 8, you can set passwords using pictures and gestures. This function can be found in Charms bar - Users. All you need to do is select a photo from the library, create three gestures on it.

Summarizing

So, all of the above can be summarized in a few points from which you can conclude which version of the operating system suits you best. Let me remind you that everything is relative and depends only on your preferences, as well as the performance of the computer or laptop on which the OS is installed. However, I will note the following.

• In games and applications, the systems demonstrate almost the same performance. Therefore, changing Windows 7, hoping that the work of programs will improve, does not make sense.
• Windows 8 starts faster than Windows 7. If this characteristic is important to you, then consider installing a new version of the operating system.
• Windows 8 is designed specifically for devices with touch screen. If you have it, then installing this operating system can significantly increase your comfort when working. However, using the mouse or keyboard to control the new interface is not as easy as we would like. Of course, there are third-party utilities that will help return the familiar interface, but then does it make sense to put the "Eight"?

As you can see, there are several significant differences between operating systems. The choice is always left to the user. Although recently most computers and laptops go on sale with the built-in eighth version of the system. However, nothing prevents you from installing a second system or reinstalling. True, there is no doubt that soon Microsoft developers will please us with another operating system, which, perhaps, will surpass all previous options for the convenience of working with it.

Have you upgraded to Windows 8 yet? On Lifehacker, we wrote a lot about this version of the OS. However, practice shows that most users do not get along with the 8th and prefer the 7th.

Newer doesn't mean better

First, let's clear one thing up. Bill Gates was once asked if he uses Windows 8, to which he pointedly replied: “The higher, the stronger!” However, in practice it turns out that this rule does not always work. Remember Windows Me - this "lover" blue screen death - but everyone was stuck on Windows 98. Then there was Windows Vista, which could not transfer files over the network at a reasonable speed; and everyone chose Windows XP. Now the fate of Windows 8 is being decided: is it worth upgrading to this version or is it better to stay on the same version - 7?!

It's worth noting that the story with Windows 8 is not the same as with Me or Vista. The latter had problems with stability and performance. Windows 8 and stable. The problem here is not in its implementation, but rather in its design.

The interface is certainly good, but…

Windows 8 has many new features and features that you might be interested in, as well as improved security. But the bulk of them are sharpened for tablets, and not for the desktop. We list the reasons why you still should not switch to Windows 8:

Metro UI: no, I haven't heard!

Microsoft was apparently confident that users would no longer want to use the desktop. In this they miscalculated. Not everyone likes the finger-oriented interface and metro apps. Yes, and why - if the usual analogues are many times more functional and more convenient? But what users miss the most, besides their favorite Start button, is the ability to Windows boot 8 directly in desktop mode, bypassing the start screen of the touch interface.

The start screen is disorienting

The start screen creates cognitive overload and obscures important content for the user. The fancy interface and the absence of the usual Start button or the incomprehensible black Metro panels falling out either on the left or on the right, single-window mode or low density of information on the screen do not paint. If you use many applications at the same time, then your taskbar turns into a real dump. You can make life a little easier with by installing special alternative menus "" for Windows 8.

There is no single search

In the 7th version of Windows, finding a file or program is easy. In the search bar you need to type in the name or keywords, and all programs and files that are relevant to the query are displayed in the search results. However, they can be opened directly from the same window. In Windows 8, for some reason, the developers added one more extra step. Default search only looks inside installed applications; if you want to search through all files or programs, you will have to choose the search area yourself. In addition, the search takes up the entire screen, thereby blocking access to the rest of the content.

Windows Store: decay and hopelessness

The Windows Store is one big missed opportunity. Although Windows 8 has a convenient system for centralized installation and software updates, this joy extends only to applications transferred to a touch environment. The Windows Store has a list of desktop apps, but these are just download links. That is, the store will not install, update and synchronize them between devices.

Weird innovations in the desktop environment

Gone is not only the beloved Start button, but also the ability to boot Windows 8 directly into desktop mode, bypassing the start screen. Starting the system is stopped every time due to the lock screen, which appears after you boot the computer, when you enter the OS, or after the computer wakes up. To disable it, you will have to run the "Local Editor" group policy” or the registry editor. And because of the careless movement of the mouse, incomprehensible black panels fall out on the left and on the right, which is wildly distracting.

The eccentricities don't end there. By clicking on the icon, a weighty sidebar for selecting a network falls out on the right. And if you click on the sound icon, a standard pop-up window will appear. All this is somehow not harmonious.

Modern Metro interface: eccentricity or the future of operating systems?

There are those who do not like Windows 8. Others believe that tablet-centric interfaces are the future. But Microsoft will take it and completely remove the desktop in all subsequent versions of the OS, leaving users alone with the Metro interface! However, not everyone can afford to abandon the desktop. And here's why, by the way:

• In the Metro interface, it is impossible to simultaneously hold open browser, and next door is a notepad. Side-by-side applications, unfortunately, do not know how to work.
• Weak support for large monitors. It seems that Windows 8 was developed exclusively for 13-inch PCs (1366x768).
• Live in the Microsoft ecosystem - thank you! Windows 8 is for those using Bing, SkyDrive, Xbox Live (Music, Video). The fact that the user can use other services (besides those provided by Microsoft) is not taken into account.
• This is a closed platform. The Metro interface only allows you to install apps approved by Microsoft. What one-sidedness! Imagine what would happen if only Internet Explorer 6 could be used as a browser in Windows XP? At what stage of development would we be today, using only it?
• The Windows Store with its apps is dislike. Even if the design of the Windows Store were the coolest in the world, it would still continue to exude dullness. The number of apps in the store has grown. But quality is more important than quantity, and the latter is never observed.

This article describes a detailed comparison of the two Windows 7 and 8 versions. You will also learn all the innovations of the Windows 8 system, a performance comparison with the seventh version of the operating system is described in great detail when using various games and applications.

Consider General characteristics Windows operating system.

More recently, the final version of Windows 8 from Microsoft has become available. The most important question still remained whether it was worth installing this system but this issue has not been given due attention.

Thanks to this article, each person will be able to choose one or another OS, find out whether it is worth installing the Windows 8 operating system on their computer, and also learn about the benefits that they can get after installing it, what difficulties may arise.

What's new in Windows 8?

To begin with, it is imperative to consider all the innovations that 8 has to offer. Windows version. The most important innovation is the interface. This interface is known as Metro, and it is also called the Windows 8 interface. Its most important feature is the start screen.

It contains all the most necessary application shortcuts, as well as live tiles, which differ from shortcuts mainly in that information changes on them, and they themselves can change their size. These tiles are a kind of analogue of widgets from Windows 7, as well as from Windows Vista.

This start screen is an analogue of the Start menu, it replaces it in Windows 8. This innovation is rather controversial in the presented operating system. The Start menu in the new version can be returned thanks to third-party utilities.

Another innovation of the operating system are active corners. If you hover your mouse over the right edge of the desktop, a small menu will appear. It looks rather unusual. In the left corner, the user can switch between applications.

All applications have two modes of operation:

• work in desktop computer with a classic interface;
• work in a mode focused on the Metro-interface, which focuses on working with touch screens.

In appearance there have also been some changes: translucency has been abandoned, as well as rounded corners in some interface elements. The interface has become much cleaner, its work has become smoother. It has been improved and changed, the interface of control panels has become increasingly used. This interface was first used in Microsoft office 2007, later it began to be used in some other applications. In Windows 8, this interface can be hidden while working with Explorer.

But this service, like many other similar ones, there are two main drawbacks:

• For the quality work of this service, constant, fast, preferably unlimited connection to the Internet;
• the amount of storage is only a few gigabytes, and it increases only for a fee.

Thanks to Windows 8, you can not only synchronize files, but also various settings systems. To do this, you will simply need to use an account Windows Live ID. Almost all settings are synchronized, except for passwords. This list can be configured in the system.

Also, thanks to this account, you can buy and download various applications; Windows 8 already has a built-in store. In the store, you can not only install various applications, but also keep track of application updates in a timely manner. It is very comfortable.

There are several other innovations in the operating system: a new Task Manager, Internet Explorer, a system restore mechanism, a slightly different copy dialog, and more.

Most often, such an operating system is used to work with programs and games. Their speed is very important. Let's compare operating systems: Windows 7 and Windows 8.

To compare these two operating systems, test packages based on real applications were used, as well as various synthetic applications for performance testing. The advantages of all these checks are: repeatability of results, greater accuracy, as well as compliance with real tasks. The speed of launching applications and the system itself was also measured.

To ensure the accuracy of all measurements, all comparisons were made on the same laptop, and also all driver versions were the same, the settings were the same. Anti-virus and some drivers that could affect the results of the research were not installed.

To measure performance in various applications, as well as in games that could use the computer's graphics card, various test packages of the 3DMark family were used. Thanks to such test packages, you can get a fairly reliable idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe performance of the system itself in various games.

Test indication

3DMark2001 SE Benchmark - Both operating systems showed almost the same results, but Windows 7 outpaced Windows 8 by a narrow margin.

3DMark03 test - each test was run three times. operating system Windows 7 showed a higher result, although, as in the previous case, the difference is minimal.

The 3DMark06 test - the situation is almost the same as in the previous case, but the gap has become a little larger - about five percent. Each test, as before, was carried out three times. Each result must be considered separately.

Only in the CPU test was Windows 8 able to perform better than Windows 7, and in all other cases Windows 7 was much faster.

The 3DMark Vantage test is the most comprehensive and up-to-date gaming performance test. The situation is approximately the same as in the previous tests. To get the full picture, let's take a look at the Heaven Benchmark 3.0 results.

Windows 8 in the test showed better performance, although the gap is still just minimal.

What conclusions can be drawn from the tests of Windows 8 and 7 in games?

Let's sum up the intermediate results when testing systems in gaming applications. According to the measurement results, it was found that the gaming performance of both operating systems is almost the same. If you decide which system is better to install on a gaming computer, then there is practically no much difference between the Windows 8 and 7 operating systems.

Comparative tests of operating systems when working with conventional programs

To measure the speed application programs, test applications from the PCMark family were used.

PCMark05 test - the test showed the same results. At first, Windows 8 showed very low scores. Later, an earlier build of the Windows 8 operating system was installed, as a result, when compared with the Windows 7 operating system, almost the same performance was obtained as that of Windows 7.

Futuremark Peacekeeper test - thanks to this test, you can measure the performance of the browser. In this test, we used Opera browser, version 11.64.

operating room Windows system version 7 showed higher performance, but the difference is not significant. Therefore, there is no significant advantage to speak of. Another test may be considered.

SunSpider Test - This test was won by Windows 7 because it completed the test much faster.

A very famous free archiver is the 7-Zip archiver. This archiver has one built-in test. What are the results of its implementation?

Operating systems showed almost the same results.

Cinebench test - thanks to this test, you can evaluate the performance of the system in programs specializing in 3D modeling. Both systems have similar results.

The Windows boot speed test is practically the only test where the Windows 8 operating system shows the best result. This system loads much faster. System shutdown time is also less than Windows 7 system.

The time required to launch applications has remained almost the same. This is related to speed hard disk, not the operating system.

Conclusions on the operation of Windows 7 and Windows 8 operating systems with application programs

The situation is almost the same as in games. The performance of the systems is almost the same, although in tests Windows graphics 8 showed abnormally low results. The user is very pleased with the boot time and shutdown time of the new version of the operating system.

Let's sum up the final results, and also find out which system is better to install on your laptop or computer.

The Windows 8 operating system has almost the same performance as Windows 7. There is no point in installing Windows 8 to improve system performance in applications or games. The Windows 8 operating system turns off and on faster.

Windows 8 is the best operating system for touchscreen devices.

Not everything is so simple with devices with conventional screens. Windows 8 specializes in working with touch screens, which is manifested in all interface elements. Using a keyboard or mouse with a touch screen is not so convenient to work with. Although you can install third-party utilities and customize the start menu, and make the desktop the start page. The choice is yours.