buying a new OS at this point in time

bigjimmyauk · 22 Apr 2015 at 20:02

What would you go for. I'm a self confessed windows 7 fanboi. I tried windows 8.1 on my dad's laptop and hated it so much. Are there any actually real gains to using 8.1 or would I be better off just sticking to windows 7.

I expect windows 7 will be supported for a long time yet?

Raumarik · 22 Apr 2015 at 20:18

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows/lifecycle

5 years or so for Windows 7. Personally I'd say get 8.1 and put the 5 minutes necessary into learning how to use it vanilla, by all means mod it so you have a start button but there's little reason to get Windows 7 now.

bigjimmyauk · 22 Apr 2015 at 20:21

Halfmad said:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows/lifecycle

5 years or so for Windows 7. Personally I'd say get 8.1 and put the 5 minutes necessary into learning how to use it vanilla, by all means mod it so you have a start button but there's little reason to get Windows 7 now.

Suppose your right really. I had a play with windows 10 inside a virtual machine and that seemed a lot more user friendly than windows 8. From my experience it seems windows 10 will be what 8 should have been.

When is windows 10 due? Is it worth waiting As I have a oem windows 7 but it's only home premium 64 bit.

It only supports 16gb of ram and I'm thinking it's not going to support a new rig which would easily 16gb ram and at least a 4gb vram gpu

Biz.Kid09 · 22 Apr 2015 at 20:21

I would always recommend go with the latest OS, 8.1 installed with something like Classic Start is perfect for me. I don't use any of the "new" features that Windows 8 introduced but I always thought along the lines of Windows 8 will be the OS that the latest drivers, software and so forth will be made for so its the best to go for!

Leon Axel · 22 Apr 2015 at 20:24

Window 10 Is due in July, If the AMD leak is to be believed. Personally though, I'd wait until the bugs get ironed out. But its a free upgrade if your willing to wait.

bigjimmyauk · 22 Apr 2015 at 20:28

Leon Axel said:
Window 10 Is due in July, If the AMD leak is to be believed. Personally though, I'd wait until the bugs get ironed out. But its a free upgrade if your willing to wait.

Free upgrade? Sorry I've been awol for a couple of years so a bit out if the loop.

Leon Axel · 22 Apr 2015 at 20:31

bigjimmyauk said:
Free upgrade? Sorry I've been awol for a couple of years so a bit out if the loop.

Yep, Its free for the first year for anyone who has Windows 7, 8, 8.1.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-10/about

bigjimmyauk · 22 Apr 2015 at 21:34

Leon Axel said:
Yep, Its free for the first year for anyone who has Windows 7, 8, 8.1.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-10/about

I'm wondering if it will apply to oem versions that came with pre built machines?

Leon Axel · 22 Apr 2015 at 22:33

Yes, all versions. It will become available through windows update.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/antonyl...elease-date-revealed-how-to-upgrade-for-free/

ED209 · 22 Apr 2015 at 22:36

as others said wait till 10 is released and then update to that

this_is_gav · 23 Apr 2015 at 08:14

As said, it's a bit pointless spending money on 8.1 so soon before 10 becomes available as a free upgrade to Windows 7.

8 is a little faster than Windows 7 in a few instances (mainly booting due to the hybrid shutdown) and I'm surprised at how dated Windows 7 looks now when I go back to a machine, but the time to upgrade to Windows 8 was when the £25 offer was on, not now just before 10 comes along.

If you needed a clean install now and had a spare Windows 8 license lying around I argue for that, but it doesn't sound like it's needed here.

stopper · 23 Apr 2015 at 11:53

bigjimmyauk said:
Are there any actually real gains to using 8.1

Nope.
Wait it out until W10