Checked 7, 8 & 8.1. Performance varies.
Checked 7, 8 & 8.1. Performance varies.
Windows 8 consumes all the laptop resources at my workplace that have it. It behaves similarly to Vista, though 8.1 uses resources more efficiently. Since they don’t cause issues and speed matters, I often reset them and switch to Windows 7. (Don’t blame me for having a terrible experience with Windows 8.)
The most recent time you updated your system was when you installed a fresh copy of 7. I usually perform OS updates regularly, but this is just my observation. I tend to notice issues with Windows 8 on laptops, though I run it in a virtual machine and it works fine. Upgrading hasn’t been necessary for me yet—perhaps once DirectX 12 is released and Windows 9 arrives I’ll consider an upgrade again. Otherwise, I’ll keep using version 7 because of the custom themes and personalized login interfaces I’ve set up. (On Windows 7 Ultimate, performance isn’t a concern; my system boots in under 10 seconds.)
The answer is yes. More complex details point to DEF with new games, and performance improves with more or similar gameplay. I recommend Windows 8.1 for gaming due to noticeable gains in game performance. The BF4 beta issue improved significantly after switching to Windows 8. Performance varies slightly but generally stays stable or improves.
Windows 7 consumes a lot of resources, Vista performs even worse. There were some improvements in 7, but it remains a significant memory consumer. Windows 8 uses less memory according to what I know... Vista experienced memory leaks.