Topic: Windows 7 or 8?

[-<WillyP>-]

Two new machines here, was thinking of getting Windows 8 but I have seen a lot of complaints about the UI being difficult, not intuitive.

I'm currently using XP, would like to move to a 64 bit OS to get more memory.

Both machines have AMD 6300 processors, and 16 gb of memory. Video cards are GTX 550 Ti.

What do you think?

[CrazyEnzo03]

For almost everything, Windows 8 performs so close to the same as Windows 7 that the only thing you really need to decide is if you would rather deal with the features of Windows 8 or the features of Windows 7.

You might get  0.01% increase in performance with Windows 8 over Windows 7 for most things while every now and then you might run into something that simply cannot run well on Windows 8 because of compatibility issues I guess.

I would rather get Windows 7 simply because the UI is tried and true.

[Foil]

I upgraded one of my machines from 7 to 8; it's a big UI change (mostly, people don't like the touch-oriented Start screen instead of the Start Menu).  Other than that, they're very similar "underneath the hood" (e.g. out on the desktop, in apps).

Coming from XP, though, I'd suggest going to 7.  It's just more mature and familiar.

[Scyphi]

Yeah, if you're hesitant about Windows 8, go for 7. I've used 7 for long enough now to know that I have pretty much no complaints about it. It's a good, stable, OS. 

I can't vouch for Windows 8 as I haven't used it yet, but I too have heard similar comments about it, so I am seeing something of a trend here.

[-<WillyP>-]

Not so much 'hesitant' about 8, it's just I don't have any experience with either.

My son has just pointed out that Shores of Hazeron lists a download for 7, not 8. Advantage of 8, it's cheaper than 7.  At least for now. For two of 7 it'll cost me an extra 60 bucks. And it's newer, but as someone pointed out, 7 is more mature. I've read somewhere that there is a mod for 8 that returns the start menus to more like 7.\

Edit: same price now.

[Matthew]

There should be an upgrade from XP to 7 still.

WillyP you play SoH? Go figure. Anything that has a download for windows 7 will work on windows 8. If it runs on windows, it runs on windows, period. Bar some bizarre compatibility/driver issues.

[-<WillyP>-]

It didn't work on XP. I played it when it was first released, but haven't played it since. My son wants to play it.

[VANGUARD]

From what I heard, if you don't have a touch screen, get 7. If you do, be prepared to use 8 like a tablet.

Checking out amazon reviews, or other places can help out as well.

[-<WillyP>-]

You are right Van, and that was my main concern about 8, that I had read that a lot of people found the UI inconvenient without a touchscreen.

Anyway, I decided on 7, for that, but largely because my son wants to play SoH, and also my other son has a laptop with 7, and getting familiar with 7 will help me be able to answer his questions.

I have also learned that 7 home can only address memory up 16gb... I have 16gb plus video, which is 1gb in one machine and 2gb in the other. For that reason I chose the Pro version.

[VANGUARD]

going back a ways, but speaking from a non windows person, I was quite impressed with Windows XP 64bit Pro.

[Alieo]

All I have to say is, if we've ever learned anything from the release of Vista, it's that we should wait to see how stable it is based on public opinion. I've ranted about how much I hate Windows in the past ever since my XP got killed by a virus in April of 2011, but I've been using a Windows 7 64-bit laptop, and the thing is just fine. I've even had a couple of virus issues that I was able to eradicate pretty simply. I'll say it... I like Windows 7... 

[VANGUARD]

I used Windows 7 at work. Can't say much because what I did on that was not enough to say if it's good or bad. It literally was like one thing I did, sort of like using the calc. or just the camera. yeah, one thing only. It seemed to work fine.

[Scyphi]

As I said before, I've been using Windows 7 long enough to know that it is remarkably stable and works smoothly. Any and all problems I've had while using 7 usually concerns more the computer itself or the individual programs I'm attempting to run within 7 than the OS itself. I don't recall having ever used any other Windows OSs that gave me such little grief.

[Pumo]

IMHO, Windows 7 is the best OS released by Microsoft. Period.

It's pretty stable, easy to use, has great performance and reliability in general, and along with an anti-virus and firewall, is pretty safe.

I would highly recommend it.

[Foil]

I have also learned that 7 home can only address memory up 16gb... I have 16gb plus video, which is 1gb in one machine and 2gb in the other. For that reason I chose the Pro version.

FYI, the video memory is addressed separately from the main RAM, so it wouldn't have been a problem to go with the Home version.  With that said, the Pro version does come with some nice extra features, and you'll be fine if you upgrade memory again in the future. 

Hope it's working well for you!