Compare Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 to see their differences.
Compare Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 to see their differences.
I never imagined asking this. My old desktop still runs Windows 7. It works fine, or it used to. The system feels slow and hard to judge its speed accurately. Last year I bought a laptop that ran Windows 8—didn’t upgrade to 8.1 because of audio driver issues with Dolby. That laptop stopped working, I got a refund, and now I’m back to the aging W7 machine. I really enjoyed Windows 8 more, probably because my ultrabook had an SSD and now I’m stuck with a slower HDD spinning at 5400 RPM. I adapted to the W8 in the end and found it okay. The main hiccup was with LOTR BFME 1 and 2—the game kept crashing. I don’t know why, so I’m unsure if it’s an OS problem.
1) Should I consider Windows 8.1? It seems to match games and software better than Windows 7, or does it have its own issues? And is it worth upgrading now that I already use Windows 8? I like the extra apps and games, but only Halo Spartan Assault stands out from Windows 8.
2) Should I stick with Windows 7? Or should I go for Windows 10 when it’s released?
Prices: Windows 7 Home Premium - £70 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00H09BB16/) and Windows 8.1 Pro - £50 with possible £10 installation fee (http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msuk...o-Student/)
Many believe Windows 8.1 has developed sufficiently to serve as a solid operating system. Personally, I considered it a strong choice—especially when compared to the clunky Metro launch options.
Compatibility should be okay. When a game states it supports Windows, it should function on both. I believe version 8.1 brings major updates, such as launching directly to the desktop. Combined with Start8, it creates a solid setup if you prefer alternatives to the Metro interface.
Your device runs Windows 8.1 with touch screen support; older versions like Windows 7 work too.
Windows 8.1 definitely upgrading isn't a good idea, but it's compatible if needed. If not, you can run them in compatibility mode.
I actually have a different opinion. Windows 8 felt simpler with my mouse than with touch. All the touch functions such as swiping left or right are much easier to handle with the mouse. You don’t swipe; instead, drag the cursor to the top left or top right of the screen if you understand what I mean.