News - Windows 8.X usage up to over 21 per cent according to Steam data

[HEXUS]

But NetApplications puts the Windows 8.X users figure at just over 10 per cent.

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[ChinesePate]

which simply means 8.x is more popular amongst the gamers vs nongamers

[DeAnt28790]

which simply means 8.x is more popular amongst the gamers vs nongamers

This seems ironic to me, given how up in arms Gabe was towards windows 8 and how bad it would be towards gamers.

[this_is_gav]

Probably more likely that gamers are more likely to want the bleeding edge, whereas the non-gamers will only upgrade when a new PC is bought and it comes preinstalled.

[jimbouk]

which simply means 8.x is more popular amongst the gamers vs nongamers

Or that gamers buy new computers more regularly?

[raven1001]

BF4 runs like a dog on W7 and runs much better on W8, that's the reason.

[Corky34]

If BF4 was available on Steam that may have been true, but AFAIK it isn't.

[Tattysnuc]

Part of the reason why Win 8.X is higher through Steam than via other sources is because corporations haven;t GENERALLY upgraded from XP or 7. Very few corporations will allow you to install Steam on their machines, so there's a whole bunch of machines out there not even being captured by Steam's statistics.

Headline should read "Windows 8.X usage up 21.26 per cent of Steam users"

[scaryjim]

Part of the reason why Win 8.X is higher through Steam than via other sources is because corporations haven;t GENERALLY upgraded from XP or 7.

This is very true, but that means Steam is probably a better reflection of the consumer market than any other measure, as it removes all those slow to change corporate networks (I'm on Win 7 at work, but the rest of my office is currently going through a gradual reimage to Win 7 from XP...).

I guess the answer is which figure means more to Microsoft - the fact that more consumers are getting behind Win 8.X, or the fact that many businesses still haven't upgraded from Win XP...? Every office machine that goes from Win XP to Win 7 is still another license fees in MS's pocket...

[raven1001]

If BF4 was available on Steam that may have been true, but AFAIK it isn't.

Yeah it's a user survey of what OS you are using, how many people on PC have BF4 as well as a steam account? makes no difference if the game is on steam or not they are taking your system specs and that means just having a steam account.

[zarnywoop]

whats more disturbing is that those on 8.0(10%) havent updated to 8.1 (10%)

[LSG501]

whats more disturbing is that those on 8.0(10%) havent updated to 8.1 (10%)

Some of us can't update to 8.1... I can't update my amd x2 x64 windows 8 rig to 8.1 because Microsoft went and added an additional requirement that prevents me from upgrading (yes aren't they lovely) because my cpu doesn't support it, even though windows 8 works absolutely fine...

Supposedly I can downgrade to x86 and get 8.1 which is great except for the fact I have x64 software I use....

[Firejack]

whats more disturbing is that those on 8.0(10%) havent updated to 8.1 (10%)

And I'm one of them

Problems with mouse support in games, full Windows Backup, broken Reset/Refresh on update, no way to sign into SkyDrive on another Microsoft account, integrated ads on Bing unified search + a few other things stopped me "upgrading" to 8.1. I've workarounds or fixes for most of the problems now but in all reality I'll probably stay on 8 as I continue to move away from Microsoft products.

[mtyson]

Related titbit: Pirates leak Windows 8.1 Spring update ISO

[TooNice]

I wonder about laptop/desktop split. Truth is that I move too often nowadays for a desktop. And whenever you buy a new laptop, you are quite often stuck with the latest OS whether you like it or not. Well, in my case I do have a retail copy of Windows 7 so I could technically "downgrade" if I was to get a new laptop today (still on a Win 7 laptop), though I'd probably end up giving Windows 8 a go, and stick with it because I can't be bothered to downgrade later on (kinda like Vista really - I hated it and wanted to downgrade but never got to it).

[Phage]

And I'm one of them

Problems with mouse support in games, full Windows Backup, broken Reset/Refresh on update, no way to sign into SkyDrive on another Microsoft account, integrated ads on Bing unified search + a few other things stopped me "upgrading" to 8.1. I've workarounds or fixes for most of the problems now but in all reality I'll probably stay on 8 as I continue to move away from Microsoft products.

The full system image backup is still there. Just obfuscated