Windows 7 or Windows 8 for Laptop

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Tom NJ

Tom NJ

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I am in desperate need of a new laptop as my trusty seven year old Toshiba is having serious screen stability issues. I am currently running Windows XP, so I will also have to make the jump to a current operating system (groan), either Windows 8 (in all the stores) or Windows 7 (still available online).

I keep reading advice to avoid Win-8 as it was designed for touch screen devices, and that Win-7 is better for desk and laptop computing. I don't need the touch screen ability (I'm a thumb ball mouse kinda guy), and I don't play any games or movies - just basic computing such as Internet, Excel, Word, Quicken, PowerPoint, etc.

Is there really a meaningful difference between the two operating systems for my type of use? I hate change, so I am attracted to Win-7 as being closer to XP in appearance, but I can adapt when necessary.

Tom NJ
 
Windows 8.1 resolves a lot of the complaints about W8. I still think it's best-suited for a touchscreen device, but the boot-to-desktop ability in 8.1 makes it better.

For basic stuff you described, you might actually like the 8.1 experience.
 
Just recently went to 8.1 pro. Was running XP previously. Boot to desktop is the key.

Very solid platform IMO.
 
I couldnt recommend windows 8 at all.. until the latest update.

I would drive 35miles to microcenter to buy laptops with w7

now w8 is fine.
 
Windows 8 is a stout os plagued by a bad ui. When it first came out it was best avoided as there where few solutions to improve usability. That's not the case now however. Why buy a new computer with a os a version removed?
 
I just went through the same dielema. Replaced a family desktop and got mysef a new laptop. Both have 8.1 and all is good. Just have to get used to a new operating system.

I'm ok with 8.1 and I've had no operation issues with either desktop or laptop as of yet.
 
I'd pass on Windows 8 and go with a Win 7 system unless you want a touch screen computer.
 
Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
I recommend Fedora.


Rumour has it that if you play a Windows installation media backwards, you will hear satanic messages... Worse still, if you play it forwards it will install Windows!

Tom NJ, if you find yourself with a few minutes to spare while you are in front of a computer, check out Ubuntu - www.ubuntu.com - It might be just the thing for you, it might not; but it's probably worth a few minutes of your time to see.
 
Windows 8 is "inevitable" and whether we like this version or Windows 9 when it hits, the OS' will be similar like Vista was to W7.

I would go for Windows 8 and pay $4.99 for Start8 and then you have the best of both worlds--a Windows 7 GUI with the power of Windows 8 behind it.
 
Windows 8.1 set to boot to desktop is fine for a laptop. The metro interface was designed for touchscreen laptop or tablet. It takes a little getting used to. 8.0 was a different animal.
I have an HP tablet with a crummy Atom processor. Slow on 8.0 but pretty fast on 8.1.

Some laptops can be downgraded to windows 7.
 
I was a diehard XP user. When Vista shipped I reluctantly bought a copy and set up a dual boot system. After a couple of weeks I was hooked and made the switch. I was one of "Those people" that really liked Vista.

Then Windows 7 came along and I did the same dual boot setup. Didn't take me long to figure out that 7 was just what Vista should have been and I happily made the switch.

With 8 I downloaded the beta trial and dual booted. I did NOT like the new UI..... I still don't. Primarily I think because we have no touchscreens. However, it did boot super fast and seemed very stable. When Microcenter offered Windows 8 Pro upgrade for $39.95 I bought a couple of copies and made the change.

It has taken a lot of tweaking to get it to my liking, (mostly), but I'm ok with it now, (mostly). I'm still not a fan of the new Start Screen and miss the Start Menu but otherwise it's fine and I could go back to 7 but choose not to.

I run several virtual machines. Among them are XP and Win 7. XP seems really clunky to me now! 7 is still very nice though.

I guess my only complaint about 8 is the user interface. Other than that it's a darned good os.

I tried 8.1 but had lots of software and stability issues so I rolled back to an 8 image I'd made, just in case.

I'd recommend that you go to a B&M store where you can test drive a Windows 8 machine and see what you think. It really is going to be the user interface that you'll have the most trouble with.

Microsoft Products Support Lifecycle Policy

If it matters to you check out the link above for product lifecycle dates for 7 & 8. Mainstream support for 7 ends 1/13/15 and for 8 on 1/09/18. Security updates will continue to flow until 2020 for 7 & 2023 for 8, but hotfixes will stop on the earlier dates.

Edit;
I need to clarify a couple of things. First, I did the upgrade in place... with all my software installed etc. I believe that a clean install probably would not have given me such problems.

Secondly, those support lifecycle dates are not set in stone. XP was given years of extra life, primarily because the business world, worldwide was just totally dead set against upgrading. If I had to guess, I'd guess that 7 might just get extended as well. 'Course, that would require the ability to read the minds at MS............just sayin'.
 
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Tom, we recently purchased a new computer and went straight for Windows 8 (and then to the subsequent free upgrade 8.1). You can banish the touch-centric user interface to the basement forever with the installation of two very simple (and inexpensive) tools from Stardock called "Start 8" and "ModernMix". It's 8 bucks for the both of them if you buy them together. So for the price of lunch one day, you completely remove the "I don't like the interface" aspect of Windows 8, which is really the only major complaint folks have about it.

Now that we're beyond the interface, what's to like? It's extremely fast. Start-up and shutdown are measured in single seconds, vs. 30 or 45 seconds that it takes for Windows 7. Almost all major performance benchmarks shows that Windows 8 is a more efficient OS than 7, in terms of running faster on similar hardware. Windows 8, obviously, will also be supported by Microsoft further into the future than will Windows 7.

I really see no reason to buy Windows 7 myself, especially if you don't have any specific requirements from your operating system beyond "I need it to run my computer". I certainly wouldn't sniff out a laptop that still comes loaded with Windows 7 just to avoid 8. As said above, once you fix the user interface with an $8 piece of software (that, by the way, offers a lot of neat customization tools as well), the only real "negative" of 8 is completely mitigated.
 
Originally Posted By: rshaw125
Windows 7. I have a Dell with windows 8 collecting dust. Right beside the Ipad 2.


If your Dell is just collecting dust, I'll take it!
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: rshaw125
Windows 7. I have a Dell with windows 8 collecting dust. Right beside the Ipad 2.


If your Dell is just collecting dust, I'll take it!
smile.gif



Save it - it will be a collector's item. Dell is already circling the drain....

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/dell-just-launched-anti-layoff-232533745.html

1st sign of circling the drain - going private
2nd sign - asking people to self-layoff

It's only a matter of time for Dell. And I'll be partying like it's 1999 when the go t!ts up!
 
Originally Posted By: itguy08
I'd ditch Windows completely and either pony up for a Mac (best option) or run a flavor of Linux.



...Are you serious? I can't even take you seriously. MAC is best option? Sure if he wants to spend $1,000 more for something he doesn't need and will not appreciably improve his experience.

And LINUX? Sure, if you know what you are doing and how to operate it, it's great. But for everyday usability? Even windows 8 which I despise, is better than the best version of linux for everyday usability and program compatability.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick R
Even windows 8 which I despise, is better than the best version of linux for everyday usability and program compatability.


Ubuntu is alarmingly easy to install and operate. I have set it up for about a dozen friends, family and neighbours, none of whom are remotely technically-inclined, and I have received zero complaints over the years.

Program compatibility is, of course, another issue; and one that plagues Mac users as well as iOS and Android users and users of all sorts of devices.
 
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