Windows 8 vs. Windows 7 Benchmarks: Microsoft's Latest OS Put to the Test

[Guest]

The performances of windows 8 and windows 7 are very similar, I see no major performance benefit from upgrading at this moment; same logic applies vice-versa - no major dis-benefit from upgrading.

Windows transition perspectives:

Pros:
-New metro UI - I can see some people liking it, some "fine" with it. (Opinionated)

-Rebuilt architecture - Too early to talk about, but it's either going to boom or bust

-New features - What can I say, new features...

Questionable(s):
-Compatibility? - full dos functionality, physical boot control, legacy application that could not even support 7's explorer and had to be loaded outside of explorer; emulation is a solution for many of this but how much is natively supported?

-Control? - UAC, and how much tasks can 8 unload while still having functionality?

Cons:
Metro Look - some people will not take it, others require the desktop for special startup, some simply do no wish to run 3rd party program but will ultimately be forced to do so just to accomplish 7's cosmetic design.(Again opinionated)

New Features: Useful for some, bloatware for others. Unless it's something that just couldn't be implemented for 7 due to change of architecture, otherwise everything can be ported, even the newest toys/gimmicks.

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Understandable workaround with "start 8" (not free, 5 USD for basic; 50 USD for Professional).
Some will say: "but why bother if you already have windows 7".
Others don't support 3rd party add-on's.
But, if you do use windows 8 and want a start menu, more power to you.

It does many things, which makes me question it's security and vulnerabilities; which I believe to be safe thinking on a user/administrative perspective.
1) Does it: not use the metro UI aka negating it or simply just bypass it aka processing it then accessing the desktop quickly.
2) Not free, being charged for something windows 7 already provides. But, if you must move on, your either going to adapt to 8 or buy in start-8.
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Assumption:
A lot of people will be jumping boats regardless of what happens.
Others will wait for favorable/forceful adjustments to jump boats.
The rest will be holding out; XP has been famous for a long time, 7 looks like it's going to be a tough one as well.

 

[nox007]

Actually this is very helpful! I love windows 8 on my laptop, I am hesitant to get it on my desktop because that is my gaming machine.

I definitely agree with the review as far as the speed goes. My laptop was pretty fast with windows 7, but it is still noticeably snappier with windows 8. The only thing I'd recommend is getting used to shortcut keys. I'm a shortcuts type of person so adjusting to windows 8 was no problem at all, but I'm willing to bet that most of the windows 8 critics use the mouse almost exclusively, which explains their issues adapting. Try googling "windows 8 keyboard shortcuts" and start using them. Keyboard shortcuts are way faster than using the mouse anyways, most people will love them after they start using them.

Yep it helped, I think I will go for a laptop with windows 8

 

[tipstir]

If you double that RAM in your test 32GB DDR3 1600MHz 11.11.11.28 XMP is what I have your results in loading time under Windows 7 U-64 will be much quicker. Also if the Sub-system is tweaked correctly it really faster access times. But Windows 8 Pro-64 going to be slightly quicker too. In my test.

IE - not use
Chrome - use (with CPU / GPU enhancements enabled by default it's disabled)
FireFox - use (tweaked with malware scanner disabled) boosted this browser
Opera -
Safari -

I say run the test again with the above browsers.. I say Windows 7 can be made just as quickly as Windows 8 without the extra UI in 8 gives you with the tiles and Live Weather, and Live Tiles. Still really need to get a touch Monitor to get the best out of 8.

 

[valentyn0]

I take these tests with a grain of salt. 1st, how many users out there actually run the best and fastest hardware on the market? Not many can afford it, or won't 2nd, several of the test should not even be included because they don't include similar software. What was even the point of putting up the Excel test when running 2013 vs. 2010? The whole point of the test were to test the SAME software on the different OS's. Come back with a more mainstream box and test the SAME software versions and maybe you'll have a more credible article. Until then, take this garbage down. No point in wasting the time reading it.

Agree

 

[Steve]

Agree

With what? Everything he said is inaccurate. We tested with Office 2010 on both operating system and we included a page of results using a budget system.

 

[Guest]

Windows 8 comes as x86 and x64

 

[Don H]

As I am about to purchase a new laptop I have the option of selecting Windows 7 or 8. There seems to be no clear concensus of opinions on these two O.S. but I would welcome comments from anyone who has windows 8 and utilised any of the software plug-in options obtained from 'How to make Windows 8 look like Windows 7' on Cnet .

 

[cliffordcooley]

1. Windows 8 look like Windows 7 with a fancy layer of colored and rich tiled screen on top.

There is nothing cosmetically appealing to me about the tiled screen.

 

[captaincranky]

There is nothing cosmetically appealing to me about the tiled screen.

Good point. Even Fisher-Price toy blocks are 3D, and I believe most of us have outgrown them.

 

[Guest]

First off: I'm a computer noob
And I'm going about buying a laptop for college. (That I let a more experienced user help me pick out)

Anywho. The final decision goes to a computer that happened to have Windows 8. /hasn't arrived in the mail, I'm just doing to research.

Yaddayadda... Isn't this just the starting point?
Windows 8 will surely have updates. Couldn't that possibly improve the numbers even more-so?

With already having a slight overall improvement from Windows 7, surely one can put up with the tiled start menu rather than downgrading for the long term?

Blarg. Then again, I'm a computer noob and well.. I'm not all too sure if those updates improve such performance or somply fix bugs.


OH QUESTION!
For those with Windows 8.
There's still a desktop, yes? I can still just drop more used application tere and try to avoid using the tiled feature most of the time, yes? No?
Also.. I Was going to ask if there was a way to disable. But. err.. After looking at this article, it's apparently a MAIN focus. And people in comments wouldn't be getting their panties ina bunch over this if you could simply disable it.

 

[Guest]

Same noob as in the previous comment, here.

I found a useful site in my findings. Might help those with problems with Windows 8.

https://www.pcworld.com/article/2013667/8-worst-windows-8-irritations-and-how-to-fix-them.html

The most contrversial topic around here seems the tiles.
Well.. Err. There's a program someone made to bring back the start menu and banish tiles. Err.. Turn them off. And the Windows key would open an older version of Windows style start menu, instead.

Heh.. Since it's a (the most?) common complaint. No doubt some annoyed programmer would have gone and made a program. Heh.

Just thought I'd share my findings. And share what I found with anyone else doing Research well after those with much computer suave.

Mrp. So if you plan on switching eventually but don't like the tiles.. or want a backup in case you might not like the tiles (if you haven't already tried them) then it's a decent backup plan?
I dunno. Just that $15 upgrade offer only lasts until Janurary. (I believe)

 

[Guest]

If you switch to Win8 and don't like it, can you go back to Win7 on a laptop?

 

[Guest]

In summation, it appears that other than boot and start-up time there is only a marginal speed difference between Windows 7 and Windows 8. Also, comparisons where Excel 2013 should be discounted it was not tested on both operating systems. I wonder who Excel 2013 would perform on a Windows 7 workstation? Is it faster... slower... or what? The real question to be asked is, do you want to go through the hassle of learning what is, in effect, a completely new operating system simply to line Microsoft's pockets for a marginal increase in shutdown and boot up time? I for one don't! To Microsoft, you don't have to make it different to make it better! When will you guys learn that forcing change is bad business?

 

[Guest]

Im stick with windows 7 cos I dont like win 8 ui also look so plain as w7 still look nice with aero glass shiny. I built my own oc and run win 7 hp x64 that took 18 secs to boot up.. it depend what hardware you use, nothing do with microsoft saying win 8 is faster.. win 7 still sit top of the marker at 52.9% as win 8 still sturggle at 2.53%.. im happy to use w7 all way.

 

[Guest]

"I hate it", was my initial reaction w/ Windows 8 when it was newly launched but when I bought a Toshiba satellite M840-1043X , the "hate" became a "LOVE IT" when I started to explore its awesome features in just 1 day... thanks to Windows 8!

 

[Akio Fujimoto]

Windows 8 is much better than Windows 7 for me. It's more polished

 

[josip696]

There is also scientific paper published on this topic: Performance Evaluation of Recent Windows Operating Systems in JUCS journal

 

[Guest]

Windows 8 is the ever best invention of Microsoft undoubtedly!

 

[captaincranky]

Windows 8 is the ever best invention of Microsoft undoubtedly!

M$ paid you to say that, didn't they?

 

[Guest]

I've been using Windows 8 for a year and a half now. I have loved it from about 2 weeks after I got it. It took a little to get used to it, but once I did, I liked the lay out.
However, I just learned about the right click on the start corner. Thanks. That will save me a few steps.