Reviews - Windows 8 - Part Four: Performance and Verdict

The Good

Has the best Start Screen of any OS
Introduces a centralised Windows Store
Improves on the Windows 7 desktop

Were you guys sipping the special Hexus brew last night ?

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Originally Posted by OilSheikh

Were you guys sipping the special Hexus brew last night ?

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Indeed, surely the 'improvements' to the desktop are negated by the fact you're forced to switch back and forth with the tablet interface, and the app store is surely only a plus for tablets?

I also would dearly like to see these tests repeated in a separate article with an FX-8150.

Just installed Windows 8 Pro N (UK) and there is no "add features" function available to install Windows Media Center. It seems to be a bug with the UK (and French) editions. Or a feature.

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Originally Posted by Obscurity

[...]and there's no central app store(4)."

4. We don't want one.

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Actually, I do, although the one they created is nothing like what I hoped they would make.

After using various distributions of Linux, I have become enamored with the concept of repositories (even though I think Linux in general is way over-hyped). In Windows, since a lot of software is not free, the repositories of Linux would not be much use, but I figured that Microsoft might be able to create something half-way between a repository and an app-store that would serve the same purpose as a repository (you can update all or most of your installed software in one go) while at the same time allowing companies to charge for their software.

When I first heard about the app store in Windows 8, I thought that we might finally see something like that in Windows, but I was wrong. It's just a plain old app-store.

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Originally Posted by Obscurity

"The touchscreen experience is practically nonexistent(1), music and video content is served primarily by third parties(2), the game selection is drying up(3), and there's no central app store(4)."
1. So?
2. So?
3. No it isn't, go check steam.
4. We don't want one.

Although on the whole win8 looks reasonable, i see no reason to upgrade from 7 as yet.

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My thoughts entirely...what a ridiculous summary of Windows 7, particularly points 2 & 3 as highlighted by Obscurity. Will video & music only be served by Microsoft in Windows 8? So Youtube, iPlayer, iTunes, Netflix etc etc are going to disappear overnight? And in what universe is the selection of games 'drying up' under Windows 7? The only restrictions for running games under particular versions of Windows in the past has come from Microsoft itself; it restricted certain games from running on XP as a means to push people in the direction of Vista, & later Windows 7.

Nothing wrong with the app store thing (although i'd have a problem if they banner other stores like steam) but it would be way better if it covered desktop apps and their updates. Makes you wonder where Windows Update is placed now that the App Store deals with pushing updates for MUI apps..

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Originally Posted by spraint

Just installed Windows 8 Pro N (UK) and there is no "add features" function available to install Windows Media Center. It seems to be a bug with the UK (and French) editions. Or a feature.

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Probably because of reliance on having Media Player installed?

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Originally Posted by spraint

Just installed Windows 8 Pro N (UK) and there is no "add features" function available to install Windows Media Center. It seems to be a bug with the UK (and French) editions. Or a feature.

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Feature. The whole point of the 'N' variant is that it has no Windows Media Player/Center.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows7/products/What-is-Windows-7-N-edition

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Originally Posted by OilSheikh

....

Were you guys sipping the special Hexus brew last night ?

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That, I must admit, was my reaction.

I have no particular objection to W8, other than that it makes me jump through hoops to get back to a UI I want. So I may well elect to just not jump through them.

I've seen comparison tests between Win 7 & Win 8 where Win 7 comes out on top in benchmarks, all depends on which review sites you visit. I don't think there's much between them in terms of performance and faster boot times in Win 8 mean little to me if I'm then forced to navigate the Modern UI, (aka Metro Interface) on my PC which uses a standard monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Put simply, after using Win 8 for a few weeks I see the Modern UI as nothing but an obstacle to be worked around, I have no love for it at all. Windows 8 will be great for tablet users and other devices using touch screen technology, not so great if you use a keyboard & mouse, so I definitely will be sticking with Win 7, and you can stick the "Modern UI" and the "Charms" menu where the sun don't shine, that's just me.

i think i will stay away from Win 8.

Not impressed at all. Not even if i was given a copy.

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Originally Posted by devBunny

Feature. The whole point of the 'N' variant is that it has no Windows Media Player/Center.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/w...ws-7-N-edition

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Understood, but this is after installing WMP via the link MS gives, so that should make it code identical with the vanilla release. No versions come with WMC. That has to be installed subsequently via activating a code. Except I can't for some reason.

Well having upgraded for a mere £25 I have to say I like it - it's different and switching between apps is actually very easy because of the multitasking bar on the left hand side of the screen. I don't feel the new start menu is very difficult to use at all.