Windows 8.1 is generally faster than Windows 7 for modern tasks.
Windows 8.1 is generally faster than Windows 7 for modern tasks.
I run games servers on a laptop with a 2-core Pentium, currently using Windows 7. Switching to Windows 8.1 might affect performance noticeably. Your main desktop with Windows 8.1 runs smoothly, but your laptop has an older CPU and more RAM. Experience suggests this change could impact efficiency.
Windows 8.1 runs well, but it's only a slight improvement. I haven't used game servers before, so I'm unsure if others will be able to use them.
I haven't noticed any performance gains from moving to Windows 8.1. It doesn't seem worth the effort at this point. Apart from a FTB MC server, I haven't tested many other game servers on either OS—GMod is the only one close. My work mostly involves computing tasks like VMs and rendering, but none showed real improvement; results stayed within the error range.
Windows 8.1 offers better responsiveness and speed compared to Windows 7, especially when launching the operating system. Gaming performance remains similar, with improvements mainly coming from fixing errors rather than significant gains. Enhancements are more noticeable on slower or older hardware. If you need a faster boot time, full UEFI support is essential for quicker startup. For smoother navigation, choose Windows 8.1; otherwise, consider upgrading to Windows 10 soon. If you're already using Windows 7 and want better gaming, it's not worth the effort—upgrade to Windows 10 on July 29th at no cost.
Windows 8.1 runs more smoothly. I’m sticking with Windows 7 mainly due to driver problems, but I think it offers a smoother experience overall.
It's better to use Linux for your game servers since it runs much faster than Windows. If you can't use Linux, then Windows Server is a solid alternative. I've mainly used Windows Server 12, which performed well, so I suggest that option.