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Thread: Windows 7 or 8.1 for new build?

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    Windows 7 or 8.1 for new build?

    Hello there...

    I'm planning my next build, and I'd appreciate people's views on whether to stick with Win 7 or go for 8.1.

    I'm not worried about the new look of 8.1, but I am wondering if most games are compatible with it. I'm currently playing Skyrim, Civ V and Total War: Shogun 2.

    Forgive me if there is already a thread on this topic, but I couldn't find one!

    Cheers

    Edit: a well as gaming, I will use this PC for watching TV. I've used media centre for years, and I will want to carry on doing that if I get 8.1
    Last edited by OldFartAtPlay; 03-11-2014 at 06:27 PM. Reason: To add info on WMC

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    Banhammer in peace PeterB kalniel's Avatar
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    Re: Windows 7 or 8.1 for new build?

    Can you buy Windows 7 these days? Games should be just as compatible with 8.1.

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    Pork & Beans Powerup Phage's Avatar
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    Re: Windows 7 or 8.1 for new build?

    I think 8.1 is just fine, possibly better for games...however....you have to pay extra for the Media Centre stuff.
    Society's to blame,
    Or possibly Atari.

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    Seriously casual gamer KeyboardDemon's Avatar
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    Re: Windows 7 or 8.1 for new build?

    Media Centre on Windows 8/8.1 is just £6.99 to cover licensing costs IIRC.

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    Re: Windows 7 or 8.1 for new build?

    Have just discovered that you have to get the top end version of 8.1 AND the £6.99 bit to get media centre - ie about £135. Not good.

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    Ryzen Master race outwar6010's Avatar
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    Re: Windows 7 or 8.1 for new build?

    You could always go for an oem 8.1 standard version from scan for around 70 quid

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    Re: Windows 7 or 8.1 for new build?

    Windows 7 COA is 27.50 from ebay.

    Job done.

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    Re: Windows 7 or 8.1 for new build?

    Which TV card did you spec? Does it have a remote?

    I would go with 8.1 64 bit or, if you don't want to buy that, try the technical preview of windows 10 for a while (I'm sure it will install and give you full res), then make a decision on if you'd like to in fact hold out for win10r software key code
    ... ... .
    abaxas presents - most likely your most sensible response though, possibly depending on if you specced a 1tb SSD (and it's two manufacturing parameters related to MLC/others and nm w rt(><) cycles) or not.
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    Re: Windows 7 or 8.1 for new build?

    Yep that oem of 8.1 for £70 doesn't get you media centre - you need the pro version. Plus the media centre pack.

    Also have discovered that 8.1 won't run 2 of my current games so it is a non-starter. Kalniel - yes you can still buy win 7, as abaxas says.

    Win 7 it is. I'll see what happens to media center in win 10 - probably disappears altogether!

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    Ride the lightning Marenghi's Avatar
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    Re: Windows 7 or 8.1 for new build?

    might want to factor in that 8.1 uses more RAM than 7 when you're thinking about how many GB's of RAM you want to buy. for the game you're playing now it's a non issue but later on once the developers get used to the 'next gen' then we'll likely see more RAM being utilised.

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    Not a good person scaryjim's Avatar
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    Re: Windows 7 or 8.1 for new build?

    Quote Originally Posted by OldFartAtPlay View Post
    Also have discovered that 8.1 won't run 2 of my current games so it is a non-starter.
    Really? I'm amazed at that - Win 8 actually had much better compatibility than Win 7 in my experience. What games are you struggling with?

  12. #12
    Splash
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    Re: Windows 7 or 8.1 for new build?

    The only game I've found that struggles on my setup is Dead Space 3. Think that's just down to me having a redirected My Documents though: it seems that more and more devs are getting lazy about game save locations, and having your My Docs on a network share breaks that.

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    Re: Windows 7 or 8.1 for new build?

    Personally I'm not a fan of Windows 8 and as far as I know doesn't offer better performance or anything like that for games however in the future there will likely be more support towards Windows 8 than 7 as it is the newer one.

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    Re: Windows 7 or 8.1 for new build?

    Scaryjim - civ v and total war shogun 2

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    Ryzen Master race outwar6010's Avatar
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    Re: Windows 7 or 8.1 for new build?

    I personally avoided windows 8 for a while, due to the ui. However, having upgraded my os to 8.1 it really does feels a whole lot snappier(using the same samsung 256gb 830 series ssd for both)

  16. #16
    Splash
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    Re: Windows 7 or 8.1 for new build?

    Quote Originally Posted by OldFartAtPlay View Post
    Scaryjim - civ v and total war shogun 2
    Civ 5 definitely works on 8.1, I played it as recently as 2 weeks ago. Pretty sure Shogun 2 works as well, but I don't have it installed at present - can certainly test it as it's in my Steam library. What had you heard didn't work about them?

    EDIT - ok, I'm downloading now and should have it in a few mins. Let me know what aspects you think don't work and I'll have a go at breaking it
    Last edited by Splash; 09-11-2014 at 09:30 AM.

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